According to reports, the State Council Information Office held a press conference on September 19 on the theme of “High-Quality Completion of the ’14th Five-Year Plan’.” Relevant officials from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment stated that during the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, China will promote a leapfrog transition from focusing on pollution prevention and control to comprehensively advancing the construction of a Beautiful China.
The Minister of Ecology and Environment stated at the meeting that significant progress has been made in building a Beautiful China, and new achievements have been made in the battle against pollution.
In the battle for blue skies, efforts have been made to promote clean heating in northern regions according to local conditions, with a cumulative total of 41 million households undergoing clean energy transition for scattered coal. Nearly 20 million high-emission vehicles have been phased out during the “14th Five-Year Plan” period. By 2024, the concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and surrounding areas, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Fenwei Plain decreased by 18%, 10%, and 20% respectively compared to 2020.
In the battle for clear waters, comprehensive efforts have been made to investigate, monitor, trace, and treat sewage outfalls. The treatment completion rates for the seven major river basins and key bays reached 90% and 93.3% respectively. Over 3,000 black and odorous water bodies in cities at the prefecture level and above have been basically eliminated, and the elimination rate of black and odorous water bodies in county-level cities has also exceeded 90%.
The Vice Minister of Ecology and Environment stated that China has established the world’s largest carbon emission trading market in terms of covered greenhouse gas emissions, effectively managing over 60% of the country’s carbon dioxide emissions.
As of September 18, 2025, the cumulative trading volume of allowances in the national carbon emission trading market reached 714 million tons, with a cumulative turnover of 48.961 billion yuan.
State Council Information Office
The State Council Information Office is the primary information and publicity agency of China’s central government, established in 1991. It serves as the official channel for government announcements, policy interpretations, and media relations, often organizing press conferences for domestic and international journalists. Its history reflects China’s efforts to manage public information and shape its national narrative in the modern era.
Ministry of Ecology and Environment
The Ministry of Ecology and Environment is a cabinet-level executive department of the People’s Republic of China responsible for environmental protection. It was established in 2018, superseding the former Ministry of Environmental Protection, to consolidate and strengthen the government’s oversight of ecological and environmental policies. Its creation reflects China’s increasing focus on addressing pollution and promoting sustainable development.
Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region
The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region is a major economic and cultural hub in northern China, historically forming the heartland of Hebei province and the seat of imperial power in Beijing. It is a national strategic development area, renowned for its profound history, including the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, and its current role as a key driver of China’s economic integration and innovation.
Yangtze River Delta
The Yangtze River Delta is a fertile and economically vital region in eastern China, encompassing major cities like Shanghai, Nanjing, and Hangzhou. Historically, it has been a center of trade, culture, and rice cultivation for centuries, often called the “Land of Fish and Rice.” Today, it is one of the world’s most important economic hubs and a powerhouse of China’s modern development.
Fenwei Plain
The Fenwei Plain is a sediment-filled basin in China formed by the Fen River and Wei River valleys, historically serving as one of the cradles of Chinese civilization. It was a core region for early dynasties like the Zhou, Qin, and Han, functioning as a political, economic, and cultural heartland. Its fertile loess soil has supported agriculture for millennia, making it densely populated and historically significant.
seven major river basins
The seven major river basins refer to the primary drainage systems that have historically sustained civilizations and shaped human settlement patterns across continents. These include the Nile, Tigris-Euphrates, Indus, Ganges, Yellow, Yangtze, and Amazon basins, each serving as cradles of ancient agriculture and complex societies. Their fertile floodplains enabled the rise of early urbanization, trade networks, and enduring cultural traditions tied to their waterways.
national carbon emission trading market
The National Carbon Emission Trading Market is China’s nationwide carbon market, launched in 2021 as a key policy instrument to help the country meet its climate goals. It operates as a cap-and-trade system, setting a limit on emissions for the power sector and allowing companies to buy and sell emission allowances. This initiative represents a significant step in China’s efforts to transition to a low-carbon economy and is the world’s largest carbon market by volume of emissions covered.
