Clean heating doesn't mean hurting well-being

China Daily | Updated: 2022-10-31 07:50

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A loader transfers coal to be used for power generation from a site in Xiliin Gol League, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, in July. [SONG WEIXING/FOR CHINA DAILY]

On Oct 27, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment said that it will inspect some rural areas in the north of the country, where there have been complaints of crude and simple "one size fits all" approach to transition to clean energy.

In the process of promoting clean heating, some rural areas have banned the burning of wood and coal for heating, causing some households to be without heating. The ministry has stressed that keeping people warm in winter is the priority.

The planned inspection sends a clear signal of the central government, namely that people's well-being comes first.

That should be the guiding principle of local officials in their job. With that principle made clear, local officials will not be able to find any excuse for the foolish deeds of simply banning people from using wood and coal-burning stoves without ensuring they have a replacement.

More importantly, the ministry has issued detailed rules for the heating transition: For those residential houses that have not installed any new clean-energy heating system, and for those whose newly installed heating systems have not proved reliable enough for one year, the old heating systems should be kept. In mountainous regions where it is impractical to use new-energy heating systems, clean coal can continue being used.

At the news conference, the ministry said that the inspection will conduct random spot checks of local governments' implementation measures.

The ministry's requirements and inspections are a clear signal that in the process of carrying out pollution control work, people's well-being must not be sacrificed. The ultimate purpose of pollution control is to improve the quality of life of the people, and for that people need to be warm in winter. The ministry's initiative highlights that. In the process of promoting clean heating projects, governments must bear in mind the local conditions, and carry out the work according to the actual situation. The harm caused by a one-size-fits-all approach should be self-evident.