Currently, China lacks an effective management system to effectively direct the sector. Eighty per cent of the businesses engaged in environmental protection are small, with fixed assets averaging 3.2 million yuan. The lax control over firms has led to repetitive construction, local protectionism, and inferior product quality. The report reveals that despite achieving some positive results in environmental protection, China continues to be confronted with grim environmental and ecological deterioration. Pollution in many regions has not changed.
Some areas are even worse.
According to the report, water contamination, shortage, droughts and floods are major problems for the water environment. Although waste discharge decreased last year, many rivers and lakes remain badly polluted. Water quality in the Yangtze River, Huan River, and Pearl River improved. The Yellow River, Hai River and Songhua River were unchanged and Liao River worsened. More than half of inshore water is graded as Level III or higher.