In the 523 cities covered by an air quality monitoring program, 344 cities reached air quality standard Grade II, accounting for 65.8 percent of all cities under the program; and 133 cities attained Grade III, accounting for 25.4 percent. Air quality in 46 cities was inferior to Grade III, accounting for 8.8 percent. Of the 350 cities subject to a noise monitoring program, 0.9 percent of the cities suffered serious noise pollution in downtown areas, 1.7 percent experienced medium noise pollution and 33.1 percent had light noise pollution.

The daily treatment capacity of municipal sewage reached 80.91 million cubic meters, up 9.5 percent. Municipal sewage treatment rate was 48.4 percent, up 2.8 percentage points. Areas benefiting from central heating systems amounted to 2.2 billion square meters, up 3.2 percent. Vegetation coverage rate in built-up areas reached 33 percent, up 1.4 percentage points.

With the continues development of the economy, China has progressively increased its input in environmental protection undertakings. In 2006-10, the country's investment in this regard is estimated at 1.3 trillion yuan, accounting for 1.4-1.5 percent of the national gross domestic product of the corresponding period. In light of the scientific concept of development and requirements of the building of a harmonious society, nine key environmental protection projects will be implemented in the fields of capacity building in environmental surveillance, disposal of hazardous wastes, urban sewage treatment, urban garbage disposal, desulphurization of coal power plants, construction of key state ecological function reserves, capacity building in management and protection of state nature reserves, nuclear safety and radiation safeguard, and the rural environmental protection campaign.