Shanghai opened a seminar yesterday to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the China Environmental Protection Century Campaign, a major government-run nationwide effort to increase social awareness of environmental issues.
Vice mayor Han Zheng addressed the meeting. Han said that the campaign has been successfully carried out in the city of Shanghai and effectively improved social awareness on environmental protection.
Han called on all government bodies concerned to continue their efforts to help the city fulfil its new three-year environmental protection goals and to improve the city's environment.
He noted that environmental protection is essential to Shanghai's long-term and sustainable development. Shanghai is entering a crucial period for environmental protection, he added.
During the past decade, the publicity campaign, with more than 20,000 related stories published in local publications, has led to the resolution of some 200 local environmental problems, officials said. Twelve industrial enterprises blamed for heavy pollution along the upper reaches of the Huangpu River underwent renovations. More than 800 poorly managed stock farms were closed.
Some local journalists were honored during the seminar for writing effective articles for the campaign.
(eastday.com January 30, 2003)
