Nations sign eco-friendly pact with ADB
By Sun Xiaohua (China Daily)Updated: 2006-12-16 09:27
China and the United States will strengthen co-operation in environmental
protection with financial support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), after a
tripartite co-operation statement signed on Friday in Beijing.
"Signing the co-operation statement is a great
step forward under the two countries' environmental co-operation framework,"
said Stephen Johnson, chief of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in
his second trip to China with the US delegation to the first Sino-US strategic
economic dialogue.
"The statement was signed to protect the environment
by promoting sustainable economic growth, achieving effective policy reform,
strengthening institutional management and improving human resources," said Zhou
Shengxian, minister of the State Environmental Protection Administration
(SEPA).
"It establishes a framework for tripartite co-operation and
expresses the willingness of the three parties to work together and take full
advantage of their strengths."
SEPA hopes that, with the US experiences
in environmental protection and financial backup from ADB, China would launch
two projects next year: capability building in its newly-established five
regional supervision centres on the environment, and setting up a cap and trade
system of sulphur dioxide (SO2), according to Tang Dingding, vice director of
the international co-operation department of SEPA.
The United States has
accumulated experience with the establishment of 10 regional environmental
watchdogs, as well as in the operation of its SO2 cap and trade system.
At
present, Sino-US environmental co-operation focuses on controlling water and air
pollution, and managing toxic substances and hazardous and solid waste.
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