China to set up Public Platform to track Polluters
The Environment Ministry of China recently announced to set up a new Public Information Platform that will allow the public to track emissions from the polluting enterprises. The platform will come into effect on March 1, 2021.
Highlights
- The Public Information Platform will help the authorities to prosecute the public who will break the rules.
- It will also prosecute the public in case they try to evade supervision.
- Under the plan, around 2.36 million companies, industrial facilities and institutions in the nation will require to obtain permits so as to emit pollutants including the Sulphur dioxide or wastewater.
Why this platform has been launched?
China in the past has struggled often to collect the information that are required to make the system work. It has also faced obstruction and data fraud from many of the polluting firms. Thus, this platform will be launched in order to get the information about the polluting firms and in turn will help in penalize them with the motive of reducing the emission of pollutants.
How the new system will help?
The new information platform will permit the authorities and members of the public to monitor the real-time emission levels. It will also allow to check the historical data. This in turn will help in determining whether rules are being breached. After the authorities are done with the monitoring, they will take action against firms that causes pollution without authorisation. Further, penalties will be issued on daily basis for the illegal behaviour such as discharge of pollution without permits.
China’s Environmental Policy
China’s Environmental Policy is highly criticized. The critics often highlights the government’s lack of willingness to protect the environment as a common problem. China mainly focuses on the economic growth that ultimately overrides the environmental concerns. If the recent measure to penalize the polluters are applied strictly it might dismantle the local economy that rely highly on the heavy industry.
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Month: Current Affairs - February, 2021