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Wang Anshun is mayor of Beijing and president of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games Bid Committee
On this occasion when we mark the annual United Nations' World Environment Day, as mayor of Beijing, I can assure you all that both the Chinese government and authorities from my own city fully understand and pay the highest level of attention to improving air and water quality and ensuring a healthier and more sustainable environment. We are determined to provide fresh air for the 21.5 million residents of Beijing and the hundreds of millions of people who travel to the Chinese capital every year; we are confident that we can pave a new, healthier and greener path for our city's and region's development for years to come; and we are committed to hosting a clean and sustainable 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
Real improvements are already being realized as the result of a wide range of concrete measures to develop a green, circular and low-carbon economy. As part of China's 12th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development (2011-2015), $468 billion has been invested in creating a green, low-carbon economy, with special attention paid to key economic sectors. In November 2012, ecological civilization was elevated for the first time to the heart of China's national development strategy, marking a new milestone of sustainable development in the country. A new environmental protection law came into effect on Jan 1, 2015, which "sets environmental protection as the country's basic policy".
Speaking about Beijing, with a total investment of nearly $130 billion over the next five years, we have been strongly advocating for a diversified energy structure and use of natural gas, as well as new and clean energies such as solar energy and heat-pump systems, in addition to progressively introducing green public transport. By 2017, coal consumption in Beijing will fall to less than 10 million tons from 23 million tons in 2012. In addition, the implementation of the Integrated Development Plan for Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province was approved by the central government, with a focus on transport integration and geographical redistribution of industrial companies and a parallel upgrade of the material and technologies of the existing industries in accordance with international environmental standards. Boosted in part by the development of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Sport, Culture and Tourism Belt, sustainable industries such as tourism and leisure, sports, culture, conferences and exhibitions have been rapidly increasing and are estimated to achieve about 20 percent of the local GDP in added value by 2022.
Our measures have made a real impact. In addition to enjoying a millennial history, dynamic culture and entertainment, outstanding cuisine and so much more, Beijing has recently been witnessing substantial urban environmental improvements. Consider the following: Since 2013, Beijing has built three natural-gas-fired power plants and shut down three coal-fired power plants; and 10,000 T/h coal-fired boilers have been transformed, with the coal consumption falling by 9 million tons. And 680 polluting companies have been closed. In 2013 and 2014, 842,000 old vehicles with high exhaust emissions were taken off the roads. A decrease of 10.2 percent was witnessed in the average level of PM 2.5 in our city's air in 2014 compared with 2012, and a further 17.7 percent decrease has been seen during the first four months of 2015.
All of these statistics give us confidence that, while there is still much work to be done, we are moving in the right direction. With all these measures in place and growth in public awareness of environmental protection, experts anticipate that Beijing's air will meet international norms by 2020.
In the past 10 years, Beijing has successfully hosted over 40 major international sports events, including the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, IIHF Women's Ice Hockey World Championships, ISU Figure Skating Grand Prix, and the 2015 IAAF World Championships (to be held this August at the Bird's Nest), as well as dozens of national and regional competitions. We also hosted a range of high-level business and political meetings, large-scale concerts and other high-profile cultural events. Today, Beijing seeks the right to host the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in support of the soaring development of winter sports in China and in full accordance with the Olympic Agenda 2020's sustainability goals.
It would be incorrect to presume that these events have been the primary driver behind our city's environmental reforms, as cleaning Beijing's air and living environment is an unconditional requirement for our everyday lives and the ongoing development of our city. And while hosting major events is a major contributor to enhancing the regional economy and ultimately putting it on a more sustainable path - therefore being one of the city's priorities - these events are also, and primarily, direct beneficiaries of the positive changes that have been happening in the city.
Reforming the structure of the world's largest developing country and second-largest economy cannot be accomplished in a single day. However, Beijing and China have both the ability and the passion to not only improve the situation, but to do so in a remarkably short period of time.
