CRI听力:Ecological Civilisation to Be Highlighted in 13th Five-year Plan

Chinese authorities are suggesting the development of an ecological civilization is going to be one of the highlights of the next five-year plan, which authorities are now in the process of drafting.

The National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Land and Resources and the State Forestry Bureau have held a joint news conference, suggesting that while improvements have been made in protecting China's ecology, much more needs to be done.

The CPC central committee and the State Council have been working on accelerating ecological protection.

This involves the creation of a strategic ecological security network.

Wang Xuejun, a professor with the Peking University, suggests the markets can also play a bigger role in helping protect the environment.

"We have been stressing market mechanisms in recent years, encouraging services provided by third-parties, encouraging governments to purchase environmental public services, and utilising various measures such as prices, taxation and financing. Generally speaking, environmental issues could be better solved by applying comprehensive measures. At the same time, resources protection and economic development should also be promoted."

52 city-and-county-level areas in 5 different provinces are part of the government's ecological civilization program.