Beijing will take the lead in executing the fifth stage vehicle emission standard (Beijing V Emission Standard), Beijing Times reported Thursday.

Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau announced Wednesday that the State Council has approved for Beijing to implement the Beijing V Emission Standard from Feb 1. From March 1, light gasoline-powered vehicles not conforming to the standard will be forbidden to be sold or register in Beijing.

Beijing authorities will give out blue environmental labels to vehicles in line with or above the emission standard.

The Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau has published the catalogue of more than 1300 models that meet the standard.

New vehicles must observe the new emission standard while the old ones do not, according to Beijing authorities. The new vehicles are those recently sold in the market and those who have applied for a license plate in Beijing for the first time.

Some 4S shops started selling new vehicles meeting the Beijing V emission standard in the second half of 2012.