The World
Bank's Board of Executive Directors yesterday approved a loan
of US$147 million to China to help finance the Second Shandong
Environmental Project.
The project aims to support sustainable improvements in the
environmental conditions of nine participating cities and counties
of east China's Shandong Province. The Global Environment
Facility (GEF) will also support the effort through a grant of US$5
million for the reduction of land-based pollution along the Yantai
coast and the Bohai Sea that border the province by piloting septic
tank waste management techniques.
Shandong, with a population of over 92 million, is the second
most populous province in China. It is also one of the
fastest-growing provinces in China. However, a shortage of water,
inadequate wastewater collection and treatment, and lack of solid
waste management facilities are presenting serious challenges for
the sustainable development of the province. The uncontrolled
wastewater pollution of rivers in the area has had a negative
impact on the urban environment and damaged the shallow Bohai Sea
ecosystem.
"Through this project, the World Bank will help support the
provincial government's efforts to address these difficult
challenges," said project leader Wang Shenhua, a senior
infrastructure specialist for the World Bank.?
"We will focus on a number of areas, including helping to build
and upgrade facilities for wastewater collection and treatment,
solid waste management, and improving the water supply. An
important aspect is also the enhancement of financial performance
and efficiency of key urban environmental services."
Specifically, the project will finance the development of
wastewater collection networks and treatment facilities in Gaomi,
Huantai, Qixia, Weifang, Weihai, Yantai and Zaozhuang with
associated river embankment rehabilitation in Qixia, Weifang, and
Zaozhuang.? New waste treatment and disposal facilities will
be built in Heze and Rizhao.?
In addition, the project will construct water works,
transmission mains and distribution networks, and upgrade control
systems in Gaomi and Huantai. The World Bank will also support
efforts to strengthen construction management and business
development and enhance capacity building of the provincial
environmental protection bureau. This includes training for
provincial and local government decision makers and project
owners.
The World Bank will finances 52 percent of the total project
cost, estimated at US$281 million.
(China.org.cn February 28, 2007)