China unveils climate health action plan

China has released an action plan to build a livable, green and safe environment as part of its efforts to better address the health consequences of climate change and improve public well-being.

The plan, issued on Monday by the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration and 15 other government departments, outlines a series of tasks to be completed by the end of 2030. These include raising environmental health literacy, promoting household waste classification, improving drinking water quality and curbing indoor air pollution.

In a corresponding statement, the administration said global warming has created new challenges that hinder healthy living environments.

The plan aims to "incorporate the concept of environmental health into policies across all sectors" and to "focus on addressing prominent environmental issues that harm public health", the administration said.

Under the plan, residents are encouraged to reduce their carbon footprint and use green or energy-efficient products while increasing their knowledge about environmental protection and risks associated with extreme weather.

To improve household and community environments, the plan calls for promoting the use of energy-saving and less-hazardous appliances, as well as elderly-friendly and safety-enhancing home facilities such as anti-slip and anti-collision features.

At the neighborhood level, the plan calls for better waste sorting, expanded green spaces and walking trails, enhanced community healthcare and first aid services, and strengthened noise control.

"For the elderly living alone, it is important to carry out regular door-to-door visits and launch safety awareness campaigns and security checks targeting them," the plan states.

It also calls for advancing smoke-free public spaces and tightening management of emissions, including exhaust gas, wastewater, noise and solid waste.

"Efforts should be dedicated to strengthening sanitation and safety management of drinking water," the administration said, with particular emphasis on improving rural water supply quality.

"It is also important to ramp up capabilities in drinking water sanitation and environmental hygiene management during natural disasters triggered by extreme weather events or environmental pollution incidents," it added.

The plan also urges improvements to the release mechanisms for health risk warnings and public advisories on cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as well as vector-borne infectious diseases.

Official data shows the overall health literacy rate in China rose from about 19.2 percent in 2019 to nearly 32 percent in 2024.

By the end of last year, the harmless treatment rate of solid waste in urban areas reached 99 percent, and the coverage rate of sanitary toilets stood at about 75 percent.