Officials responsible for environment

Leading Party and government officials at the county, city and provincial levels across China will be held accountable if they fail to protect the local environment. They will be the first to be questioned if antipollution targets are not met, according to China's latest directive to toughen the fight against pollution.

Jointly issued by the central leadership and the State Council, the directive sets clear and detailed goals in fighting air, water and land pollution. It aims to target the problems that concern the public the most, said Xu Biwen, an official from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment's Environmental Supervision Office.

China aims to improve the overall environmental quality and ensure a significant decrease in pollutant emissions by 2020. By 2035, the country is expected to see its environment fundamentally improved after the industrial structure and people's lifestyle have become environmentally friendly, according to the directive published on Sunday.