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BEIJING, Feb. 1-- Despite seeing cleaner skies and less polluted rivers, policymakers across China are sparing no effort to maintain the momentum in improving the environment. At the annual provincial legislative sessions, environmental issues have remained high on the agenda. Local governments have set new targets for pollution control, outlined measures to promote the use of clean energy, and vowed to tighten supervision on environmental violations. Beijing plans to invest more than 67 billion yuan (about 10.2 billion U.S. dollars) in environmental protection this year in sectors such as air pollution, water and soil improvement, as well as integrated garbage treatment. More than 19 billion yuan will be used to control pollution sources such as coal, vehicles and dust, and to support projects to replace coal with clean energy in rural areas. Smog-prone Beijing has intensified measures in recent years to improve its air quality and has achieved remarkable results. The average density of PM2.5, a key indicator of air pollution, was 58 micrograms per cubic meter last year, 20.5 percent less than in 2016. Beijing's neighboring Hebei Province plans to reduce its annual coal consumption by 5 million tonnes this year by promoting the use of clean and renewable energy. The province will also begin a three-year campaign to expand afforestation this year, planting more trees to build a "green wall" for Beijing. | 
