Vice-premier stresses advancing ecological civilization

BEIJING -- Vice-Premier Han Zheng on Tuesday urged efforts to attach greater importance to ecological restoration and environmental protection and bring ecological civilization to a new level.

Han, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during a symposium at the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

He said the ecological and environmental protection targets and key tasks during the 14th Five-year Plan period (2021-2025) should be set scientifically.

Han underlined efforts to effectively prevent and control pollution and achieve breakthroughs in key areas and indicators.

China has set the goal of peaking carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060.

Han stressed efforts to draw up specific plans to tackle climate change for the 2021-2025 period, accelerate the establishment of a national carbon market, and actively participate in global governance.

He urged the protection of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the implementation of a 10-year fishing ban along the river to ensure its continued ecological improvement.

The country should advance the ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River basin, conserve the Baiyangdian Lake, and promote the construction of the Xiongan New Area and the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, said Han.