Summary
12 August 2013
Chinese state media say the government is trying to tackle pollution caused by the country's fast economic development. According to the state-run news agency, new measures are being introduced to encourage the country's green industries.
Reporter:
Martin Patience
China is attempting to become a leader in clean technology
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Report
China is the world's biggest polluter. But toxic smog in its cities is increasingly generating enormous public anger.
Now the authorities say they want the green industries to have a turnover of more than $700bn by 2015. They're offering tax breaks and subsidies to promote growth and innovation within the sector.
It's the latest move by the government to curb pollution. Last month, the authorities ordered hundreds of steel, paper and leather factories to shut down production lines that were causing high levels of pollution.
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Vocabulary
- polluter
a person or organisation that puts harmful substances into the environment
- toxic smog
a poisonous mixture of fog and smoke which appears in some industrial cities
- generating
producing
- turnover
the amount of money taken by a business in a period of time
- tax breaks
reduction of the amount of tax a business has to pay used as an incentive
- subsidies
money given by a government or an organisation to help businesses keep the price of products or services low
- promote
to actively encourage
- innovation
a new idea or method
- sector
a government branch
- curb
to control or limit
- high levels
above normal or average level
