Environment and circular economy transition in China

The 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035 marks the beginning of China’s new journey toward building a modern socialist country and sketches up a comprehensive blueprint for China’s development in the next 5 years: 

• Air pollution prevention: the ratio of days with good air quality in the major cities will increase from 87% in 2020 to 87.5% in 2025 and reduce the total emission of nitrogen oxide and volatile organic compounds by more than 10%.  
• Water pollution prevention: proportion of surface water reaching or better than Class III water body will increase from 83.4% in 2020 to 85% in 2025. The total chemical oxygen demand and ammonia nitrogen emissions will be reduced by 8%, basically eliminating the inferior class V National control sections and urban black smelly water bodies. 
• Soil pollution prevention: scientifically promote the comprehensive control of soil erosion, desertification and rocky desertification, take stringent measures to prevent soil pollution at the source, and take stronger action to address agricultural pollution from non-agricultural pollution sources. 
• Sustainable consumption & production: energy consumption per unit of GDP and carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP will be reduced by 13.5% and 18% respectively. Water consumption per unit GDP will be reduced by about 16%.   
• Biodiversity: the forests coverage rate and the wetland protection rate will increase to 24.1% and to 55% by 2025 respectively.