VATIS UPDATE Article

At the bi-monthly session of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), held on 25th April in China, the minister of environmental protection Chen Jining said that the country would introduce a plan aimed at soil protection and pollution control. He announced that a nationwide soil pollution study would be conducted. The study will mainly focus on lands used for farming and construction purposes. A database on basic soil conditions across the country will also be established.

These plans have received significant support. The Ministry of Finance recently announced that it had appropriated 9.09 billion yuan (US$1.40 billion) to establish a special fund for soil protection, a 145.6% increase as compared with the money invested in the field last year. China will take a series of actions to tackle soil pollution after a national environmental watchdog reported its work to the country’s top lawmakers.