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Beijing is speeding up its environmental protection work and the
making of a sustainable development plan to compete for the host
city of the 2008 Olympic Games.
Yu Xiaoxuan, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Environmental
Protection Bureau and head of the environmental department under
the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Bid Committee, said here today that
the International Olympic Committee had passed an agenda for facing
the 21st century last year, stressing that the universality of sport
should be used to promote sustainable development in the host city
of the Games.
"Beijing can do its best to realize sustainable development,"
said Yu.
Beijing plans to increase the sewage treatment rate in the city
from the current 42 percent to 90 percent by 2008, and natural gas
usage volume from the current one billion cubic meters to 4.7 billion
cubic meters.
The garbage treatment rate will be increased from the current 70
percent to 100 percent within eight years, and green covered areas
in the city will surpass 50 percent. More than 240 square kilometers
of trees and grass will be planted around Beijing, according to
Yu.
The environmental department, made up of seven officials, was set
up under the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Bid Committee on October
19. Prior to that, work on the environment was conducted up by the
engineering department of the committee. An environmental evaluation
was conducted to select the site of the main sports event centers.
Recently, a "green Olympic plan" was jointly signed by
the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Bid Committee, the Beijing Municipal
Environmental Protection Bureau and more than 20 non-governmental
environmental organizations.
Beijing's citizens, called on by the plan, will take part in construction
of environmental-friendly communities, schools, enterprises and
families. The citizens will become the major force pushing forward
Beijing's improvement of environment.
"On the other hand, the ultimate purpose of Beijing's environmental
improvement is not the Olympic Games, but the interests of ordinary
residents in the city," said Yu.
Beijing had made long-term plans for environmental improvement
before its bid for the 2008 Olympic Games. The plan will stay the
same no matter if Beijing holds the Games or not.
"Our goal is for Beijing to have a good environment not only
during the Games but also after the Games," Yu said, "and
this is the reason why Beijing citizens wholeheartedly support the
bid for the Games."
(People's Daily 11/12/2000)
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