China latest policy will require six heavy polluting industries to meet global standards in 47 cities and to gradually comply with special international emission limits on airborne pollutants, starting on March 1. The targeted industries: thermal power, iron and steel, petrochemical, cement, non-ferrous metal and chemical as the annual amount of smoke and dust from the six industries contributes more than 70% of total emissions, according to the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences in an interview with China Daily.
The new policy would have the biggest influence on thermal power generation companies that have to invest a lot of money in upgrading the current environmental protection equipment and purchasing new ones for production according to experts. But we do not need experts to tell us that. The vast majority of coal fired plants could care less, as investments and operating costs are too high to limit pollution and as electricity prices won’t increase it will have dubious advantages. China does not have the courage to increase prices, fearing a public backlash. So, when inspectors turn up they may switch on the equipment, and later switch off again. Or they stop generating electricity for “maintenance” as more production means bigger losses.
Anyway, only applying the limits to the 47 cities does not solve the problem: you can’t build a Pollution Great Wall around the cities.