According to Chinese statistics, pollution levels last year increased by about 12 percent from 2002. The World Bank ( news -web sites ) estimates 400,000 people in China die each year from air pollution-related illnesses.
“This is a very outstanding challenge, especially for a country like China,” said United Nations Environment Programme director Klaus Toepfer.
“There must be a change in the development model, there must be change in consumption and production pattern, we need to have scientifically stimulated cleaner technology,” he said.
Read the entire AFP article on Yahoo News.