China plans to spend 1.4 trillion yuan ($175bn) over the next five years on protecting its environment.The sum - equivalent to 1.5% of China's annual economic output - will be used to improve water quality, and cut air and land pollution and soil erosion.China has some of the world's most polluted cities and waterways.Beijing has often overlooked protecting the environment in the rush to develop its economy - but now it is paying the price, a BBC correspondent says.A chemical spill in a river near the city of Harbin last year drew international attention, as water supplies to almost four million people had to be suspended for nearly a week.Soil pollutionUnder the plan, sewage treatment plants will be built in 10 river valleys to reduce the harmful impact of waste water from cities.Money will also be spent on cutting levels of sulphur dioxide and dust in large cities.The state-owned Xinhua news agency said money would be used to curb soil pollution, which has contaminated agricultural produce.The agency quoted Zhou Shengxian, director of the State Environmental Protection Administration, as saying that every year 12 million metric tonnes of grain were polluted by heavy metals that had found their way into the soil. | | | |
US HOUSE APPROVES SWEEPING PACKAGE OF ENERGY BILLS
07/02/2012
By Nick Snow
The US House approved a sweeping energy legislative package that supporters said would facilitate development of more domestic oil and gas, and opponents said would seriously gut environmental protections. HR 4480 passed by 248 to 163 votes, and its sponsor, Rep. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), urged the US Senate to take it up promptly. "These bipartisan pieces of legislation make sure that we move forward on oil and gas development in the western United States and