China is building a nationwide emergency management mechanism to
counteract the crippling losses incurred from natural disasters
such as floods, droughts, desertification, storms and general
deterioration of ecological environment as a result of global
warming.?
According to the national action plan on climate change
published Monday, the country's first global warming policy
initiative, China will swiftly adopt sweeping measures ranging from
laws, the economy, administration and technology which will combine
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and imbue the country with a
flexible approach to climate change.
In July 2005, the State Council announced the formation of an
Emergency Management Office to oversee the fledgling mechanism's
implementation. Over the next five years, around three billion yuan
(about US$400 million) will be invested to ensure an integrated
top-down system covers both central and local governments.
Furthermore, future evaluations of local officials will take
construction and management quality of the mechanism.?
When fully operational, the mechanism will be able to quickly
mobilize the whole country to respond to floods, storms, hurricane,
earthquakes and other disasters and minimize losses, observed Xu
Guangjian, vice dean of the School of Public Administration under
the Renmin University of China.
"To curb greenhouse effect is crucial to reducing global warming
as well as disaster prevention and reduction," said Zhou Tianyong,
vice director of the CPC Party School's Research Center.
In 2003, the Chinese government proposed a new way of
industrialization based on the scientific concept of development,
seeking to lower energy consumption, save resources and lower
emissions. These aims will be the plinth of the emergency
management mechanism," he added.
In terms of housing, China will encourage northern regions to
use heat conservation materials, to make air-conditioners more
environmentally friendly, and to develop central and cooling
systems. For transportation, public transport is burgeoning in
China with suburb railways and subways rapidly expanding. In order
to ensure that this expansion proceeds smoothly, concepts such
water, energy and electricity saving or recycling are being
publicized.
The State Council recently published a notice which sets
air-conditioning temperature limits for public buildings: no lower
than 26 degrees Celsius in summer and no higher than 20 in winter.
These rules apply to all state institutions, social organizations
and enterprises with exceptions made for hospitals and certain
other special cases.
(China.org.cn, translated by Li Shen June 8, 2007)
