Shanghai invests 250b for environment in 2000-11

From 2000 to 2011, Shanghai planned to invest a total of 250 billion yuan in environmental protection, beginning with the bidding to host the 2010 World Expo, the China Economic Weekly reported Tuesday, citing the city's environmental protection chief.

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Zhang Quan, director of the Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau, said the city's environmental protection investments each year kept an average proportion of 3 percent of its annual gross domestic product for 10 years.

The investment from 2000 to 2011 was divided into four rounds, with each round taking three years. The city is now undergoing the final round of the investment, with an expected investment of 82 billion yuan.

Shanghai can't solve all of its environmental problems just by riding the wave of hosting the World Expo, but it can greatly promote its environmental protection efforts and success by taking this opportunity, Zhang said, adding that the city won't ease up on its effort for environment protection even after the World Expo is over.