Environmental targets set bottom line for local officials

ON MONDAY, the 13th Five-Year Plan for Ecological and Environmental Protection (2016-20) was officially released, which listed eight new legally binding targets. This is an important move that will make the plan more effective, says Beijing Youth Daily:

Anybody who has read the plan will immediately realize how strict it is. Besides the four existing targets with legally binding force, it has introduced eight more, covering the air, water, and the earth.

The introduction of the eight targets is rather important because it makes clear the responsibility of local officials. Many local enterprises pollute the environment but the local economy relies upon them for growth; the process of fighting pollution might thus curb local GDP growth, which would reflect badly on the performance of leading officials. Only targets with legally binding force will be effective in prompting local officials to truly fight pollution.