Posted on 04 Mar 2010
China Studying Environment Tax to Curb Pollution
China, the world’s biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, is actively studying an environment tax to help curb pollution.
The proposed tax is being studied by the Ministry of Finance, the tax bureau and the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Pan Yue, a deputy head at the environment ministry, said in Beijing today.
Pollution has surged in China as the economy more than tripled in the past decade, spurring concerns that a deteriorating environment may lead to social unrest. Premier Wen Jiabao said in January the pollution situation was “grim” and pledged to limit emissions from coal-powered generators, cement and steel producers and to ensure water quality.
Pan, who was attending the annual meeting of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the country’s top advisory body, declined to say when the environment tax may be introduced.
The nation passed the U.S. to become the world’s biggest emitter of carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels in 2006, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Almost 6 million sources of emissions were identified in China’s first pollution census released last month.
