Shanghai plans to set stricter ecological standards for
Chongming Island next month, which may slow down the island's
industrial development and construction, city officials said
yesterday.
The new standard, called the Chongming Ecological Index, will be
based on the overall ecological state of the island, including its
air quality, plant coverage, water quality and pollution
levels.
The index was first adopted late last year, and 22 engineering
and industrial projects have been scrapped because they couldn't
meet the environmental standard, according to the Shanghai Academy
of Environmental Sciences, which oversees the island's
environment.
Academy researchers are working on a new environmental standard
which will further reduce industrial emissions, fumes and sewage on
the island.
The details are not available but it's estimated that stricter
standards will be taken to limit infrastructure and industrial
development.
So far, Shanghai has set up its most advanced climate
observation station in the Dongtan area of the island. Its center
can measure the density of pollution-causing chemicals in the air,
such as sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide.
"We will provide first-hand climate information to help decision
makers draw up environmental protection policies," Lin Yi, an
official of Shanghai Chongming Eco-Island Science and Technology
Promotion Center, said yesterday.
(Shanghai Daily September 5, 2007)
