A revision to the environmental protection law would reduce pollution, says a signed article in the Guangzhou Daily. An excerpt follows:

During the national working teleconference on energy-saving and pollution reduction held in late April, Premier Wen Jiabao stressed that the country would step up energy-saving and pollution-reduction efforts.

He also said that enterprises with huge energy consumption or pollution emissions should be subject to regular supervision. Due punishment should be meted upon those that ignore laws and regulations about environmental protection.

The premier's words indicate the government's determination to curb pollution and protect the environment. However, emissions are unlikely to be effectively put in check if the measures myopically focus on businesses.

China's environmental challenge a long-time headache for the country is multi-factorial.

So, in addition to profit-driven businesses that break the rules, local governments should also be monitored and held responsible for inadequate regulation and supervision.

In some extreme cases, authorities even turn blind eyes to emissions in their quest to entice investors. This is because investment is an important index for their assessments from their superiors.

To make matters worse, local officials are seldom punished for heavy pollution, even if the pollution resulted from their mismanagement.

Environmental protection authorities initiated several ironhanded campaigns in recent years to cut down pollution, but such campaigns do not seem to impact those officials that failed to fulfil their responsibilities of supervision and regulation.

Instead of a temporary campaign, the real cure for pollution is to improve relevant laws and regulations. And the upcoming revision of the Law of Environmental Protection should provide a good opportunity to discipline local governments.

(China Daily 05/11/2007 page10)