Insight: China's losing battle against state-backed polluters [View all]

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http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/31/us-china-environment-zijin-insight-idUSBRE92U08V20130331

Hugely dependent on the tax revenues and jobs provided by big polluting firms, local authorities have long been regarded as one of the biggest obstacles to Beijing's promises to reverse decades of environmental damage. State news agency Xinhua said in a strongly-worded editorial in March that "blame lies in governments at different levels" for chasing growth and letting environmental problems fester.

According to a proposal submitted by delegates at last month's National People's Congress, there have been more than 30 serious incidents of heavy metal pollution in the past three years, and many were caused by "regional governments blindly pursuing economic development, as well as law enforcement and supervision not being strong enough".

China has the laws, but its ability to enforce them is weak, especially in the face of giant firms that pour millions into otherwise bereft local government coffers. Critics say Beijing also lacks the will to tackle the problem.

"People want growth. People want development, but they don't accept that this should happen at the expense of their quality of life, and even the health of their children, but it's very hard to hold the local government accountable," said Ma Jun, head of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (IPE), a non-profit group that monitors pollution across China.