Environmental Protection Lottery
You're listening to Today on Beyond Beijing. I'm Xu Qinduo with Brandon Blackburn-Dwyer. and rejoining us after an all too lengthy hiatus is our report Zhou Jingnan. Welcome back from Latvia!
You're listening to Today on Beyond Beijing. I'm Xu Qinduo debating the world's issues with Brandon Blackburn-Dwyer, and we're now debating your views brought to us by our reporter Zengliang.
An environmental protection lottery has been proposed by a deputy at this year's National People's Congress (NPC).
It aims to raise funds to improve air quality and curb water pollution in China.
According to Chen Fei, a deputy from East China's Zhejiang province, China's environmental protection faces a shortage of funds, limiting the efforts to curb environmental problems.
He says the lottery would solve the capital shortage and raise awareness among the public.
Currently, China's lottery can only be used to raise funds for social welfare and sports projects.
But Chen's proposal has not met with universal support. People have a lot to say online regarding the matter:
Feng Yongfeng, founder of Green Beagle, a Beijing-based environmental NGO, said on ,
The key to improve air quality and curb water pollution lies in the harsh punishment of polluters. What we lack at the moment is an accountability system, rather than investment. A lottery would do little to benefit environmental protection.
While Su Xiaoxuan said on ,
If the environmental protection slogans can be printed on every
environmental protection lottery ticket made from recycled paper, it would be a fantastic way to publicize environmental protection ideas among the public. I fully support the idea of issuing such a lottery.