104
L. Zhang
circular requesting to continue to reduce urban noise pollution; in May 1955, the
Beijing Municipal People’s Committee issued the Regulations on Reducing Urban
Noise. Nanjing City promulgated the Regulations on Reducing Urban Noise in May
1956. In June 1956, Qiqihar City issued the Circular on Reducing Urban Noise.
In terms of natural resources and ecological protection, the Ministry of Forestry
and Reclamation issued the Interim Regulations for the Protection of Forests (Draft)
in February 1951. In December 1952, at the 163rd political affairs meeting, the State
Council adopted the Instructions of the State Council on Mobilizing the Masses
to Participate in Drought Prevention and Relief Campaigns and Soil Conservation
Efforts. In July 1953, at the 185th meeting the State Council issued Instructions on
Mobilizing the Masses to Participate in Afforestation and Forest Protection. In March
1955, the CPC Central Committee forwarded Wang Huayun’s Summary Report on
Further Promoting Soil Conservation. In 1956, the State Council issued the Interim
Regulations on the Protection of Mineral Resources. In 1957, the State Council issued
the Interim Soil Conservation Plan Outline of the People’s Republic of China. In
1956, China established the first comprehensive nature reserve—Dinghushan Nature
Reserve. Regulatory systems concerning natural resources and ecological protection
began to take shape. It is worth mentioning that China made remarkable achievements
in afforestation and forest conservation during this period. From 1950 to 1957, forest
area in China increased by 235.964 million mu; from 1950 to 1952, 62.1 million
mu of hills and mountains were closed for afforestation; and in 1956, more than
58.35 million mu of hills and mountains were closed for afforestation. Afforestation
is an important means to improve the environment and prevent soil erosion.
Obviously, during this period, the Chinese government made a lot of efforts in
environmental protection. However, for various reasons, the results were less than
satisfactory. At the beginning of the country’s industrialization process, the national
government drew upon the experience of the Soviet Union and attached importance to pollution issues and actively adopted measures to reduce pollution. For
example, the Interim Sanitary Standards for the Design of Industrial Enterprises
promulgated by the Chinese government in 1956 was formulated in imitation of
the Sanitary Standards for Design Industrial Enterprises promulgated by the Soviet
Union in November 1954. China’s environmental protection efforts in the 1950s
were largely based on the experience of the Soviet Union. Naturally, the Chinese
government’s understanding of environmental protection at that time was also influenced by the Soviet Union. For example, at that time, China did not have the concept
of environmental protection like the Soviet Union did. Environmental protection
measures, especially pollution prevention and control measures, were mostly implemented under the guidance of the concept of “environmental sanitation.” The agencies implementing environmental protection measures were mainly health departments. It was not until the first National Environmental Protection Conference that
Chinese people’s environmental awareness began to rise. After 1957, China began
to break away from the Soviet model and go its own way, and China’s environmental
protection also embarked on an independent track.
L. Zhang
circular requesting to continue to reduce urban noise pollution; in May 1955, the
Beijing Municipal People’s Committee issued the Regulations on Reducing Urban
Noise. Nanjing City promulgated the Regulations on Reducing Urban Noise in May
1956. In June 1956, Qiqihar City issued the Circular on Reducing Urban Noise.
In terms of natural resources and ecological protection, the Ministry of Forestry
and Reclamation issued the Interim Regulations for the Protection of Forests (Draft)
in February 1951. In December 1952, at the 163rd political affairs meeting, the State
Council adopted the Instructions of the State Council on Mobilizing the Masses
to Participate in Drought Prevention and Relief Campaigns and Soil Conservation
Efforts. In July 1953, at the 185th meeting the State Council issued Instructions on
Mobilizing the Masses to Participate in Afforestation and Forest Protection. In March
1955, the CPC Central Committee forwarded Wang Huayun’s Summary Report on
Further Promoting Soil Conservation. In 1956, the State Council issued the Interim
Regulations on the Protection of Mineral Resources. In 1957, the State Council issued
the Interim Soil Conservation Plan Outline of the People’s Republic of China. In
1956, China established the first comprehensive nature reserve—Dinghushan Nature
Reserve. Regulatory systems concerning natural resources and ecological protection
began to take shape. It is worth mentioning that China made remarkable achievements
in afforestation and forest conservation during this period. From 1950 to 1957, forest
area in China increased by 235.964 million mu; from 1950 to 1952, 62.1 million
mu of hills and mountains were closed for afforestation; and in 1956, more than
58.35 million mu of hills and mountains were closed for afforestation. Afforestation
is an important means to improve the environment and prevent soil erosion.
Obviously, during this period, the Chinese government made a lot of efforts in
environmental protection. However, for various reasons, the results were less than
satisfactory. At the beginning of the country’s industrialization process, the national
government drew upon the experience of the Soviet Union and attached importance to pollution issues and actively adopted measures to reduce pollution. For
example, the Interim Sanitary Standards for the Design of Industrial Enterprises
promulgated by the Chinese government in 1956 was formulated in imitation of
the Sanitary Standards for Design Industrial Enterprises promulgated by the Soviet
Union in November 1954. China’s environmental protection efforts in the 1950s
were largely based on the experience of the Soviet Union. Naturally, the Chinese
government’s understanding of environmental protection at that time was also influenced by the Soviet Union. For example, at that time, China did not have the concept
of environmental protection like the Soviet Union did. Environmental protection
measures, especially pollution prevention and control measures, were mostly implemented under the guidance of the concept of “environmental sanitation.” The agencies implementing environmental protection measures were mainly health departments. It was not until the first National Environmental Protection Conference that
Chinese people’s environmental awareness began to rise. After 1957, China began
to break away from the Soviet model and go its own way, and China’s environmental
protection also embarked on an independent track.