China's pollution problems are costing the country more than
US$200 billion a year, a top official said yesterday as he
called for stronger action to balance environmental protection
against economic development. Environmental damage is costing
the government roughly 10 percent of the country's gross
domestic product, estimated Zhu Guangyao, deputy chief of the
State Environmental Protection Agency. China's GDP for 2005 was
US$2.26 Despite the efforts of half a million environmental
officials in his agency and other organizations, China's
environmental picture is worsening and "allows for no optimism,"
he said as he issued a report that described the situation as
Zhu's assessment came during a news conference tied to the
release of China's second white paper on environmental
protection since 1996. The report, titled "Environmental
Protection in China (1996-2005)," was published by the
Information Office of the State Council, China's Cabinet. The
conflict between protecting the environment and encouraging deve