A wind farm in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province. China's investment in clean energy in 2014 hit a record $89.5 billion, accounting for 29 percent of the world's total. [Photo/China Daily]

The Ministry of Environmental Protection has issued a notice requiring local governments in Northeast China to come up with measures to minimize smog, which has reached harmful levels across Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces. Comments:

Many have attributed the severe smog in Northeast China these days to the public heating system. However, the coal-burning heating system is not a new phenomenon and it only aggravates the air pollution. Apart from reemphasizing the government's responsibility in the battle against smog, the public should be aware of the real problem behind the pollution, which is the imbalance between environmental protection and local economic development. It is not an easy job to fundamentally transform the economic development pattern, but when facing such severe air pollution, developing a green economy deserves attention.

Cien.com.cn, Nov 10

When identifying the causes of the smog, we need to be more specific, so that we can work out precisely targeted countermeasures and more feasible emergency plans. The battle against smog cannot be won in one day, and a permanent cure is to accelerate the transformation of the economic and energy structure, further utilize new resources, and boost efforts to conserve energy and reduce emissions.

Xinhuanet.com, Nov 10

To bid farewell to the smog means starting with changing the country's energy structure. First, clean energy should be popularized and applied with greater efforts because in the middle and long term it is crucial to alter energy use. This will gradually eradicate the mainstream coal-burning public heating systems. Besides, with the popularization of clean coal, pollutant emissions could be largely reduced.

Xinhuanet.com, Nov 10