A total of 99 towns across China have been honored as
"environment-friendly" for their effective protection of the
environment and the provision of a quality life to local
residents.
The towns nominated in 2005 are scattered in 19 provinces,
municipalities and autonomous regions, according to a bulletin
released by the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA)?on January
26.
East China's
Jiangsu,
Zhejiang and
Shandong provinces are at the top of the list, with each having
37, 14 and 13 towns winning the awards, respectively.
In the bulletin, the SEPA calls on the towns to cherish their
honor, continue to pursue sustainable development and provide
quality air, water and food to local residents.
China began honoring environment-friendly towns in 2002, and by
2004, 79 towns nationwide had been granted the title. China has
also launched a series of similar policies at provincial, city and
county levels to boost the country's efforts of building an
energy-conserving and environment-friendly society.
(Xinhua News Agency February 4, 2006)