The "15th Five-Year Plan" for Ecological and Environmental Monitoring: Basically complete the integrated space-air-ground-sea monitoring network by 2030

It was learned on July 15 that the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, in conjunction with the National Development and Reform Commission, has issued the "15th Five-Year Plan for Ecological Environment Monitoring." The document sets the overall tone for the development of ecological environment monitoring during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, clearly listing phased development goals, quantitative indicators, core work tasks, and supporting major projects, thereby charting a course of action for the construction of the environmental monitoring system over the next five years.

Fortifying the Underlying Support for Environmental Protection and Closely Watching the Five Core Standards of Monitoring Data

Ecological environment monitoring is the foundational work for pollution prevention and control and the construction of ecological civilization. This plan clarifies the core development direction, continuously raises the standards for monitoring work, and fully ensures that monitoring data meets the five major requirements of "authentic, accurate, complete, fast, and new," thereby laying a solid data foundation for the implementation of the Beautiful China initiative relying on high-quality monitoring data.

Setting Development Goals in Phases Achieving Upgrades in Two Steps by 2030 and 2035

The plan establishes stepped development goals, promoting the construction of a modernized monitoring system across two major time nodes: 2030 and 2035.

1. 2030 Phased Goals

Substantive breakthroughs will be made in the construction of a modernized ecological environment monitoring system, and a comprehensive space-air-ground-sea integrated monitoring network will basically take shape; the national-level monitoring network will complete systematic, digital, and intelligent transformation, and the central and local monitoring platforms will be coordinated in layout with data interoperability and sharing.

Environmental risk early warning monitoring systems for new pollutants, heavy metals, and ecological damage will be basically implemented; the full-process regulatory capability for enterprise self-monitoring will be significantly improved, and the authenticity and stability of monitoring data will be continuously optimized; breakthroughs will be achieved in the core technology R&D in the monitoring field, and mainstream monitoring instruments and equipment will basically realize domestic production and autonomous control. The national environmental monitoring basic software and hardware capabilities will be comprehensively strengthened, and some regions will take the lead in completing the creation of a modernized monitoring system.

2. 2035 Long-term Goals

A complete modernized ecological environment monitoring system adapted to the rhythm of Beautiful China construction will be established, and China's comprehensive technology and management strength in ecological environment monitoring will rank among the international advanced levels.

Five Key Tasks and Six Major Projects Fully Launched for Construction

The plan deploys core work tasks from five dimensions, covering the entire chain of monitoring networks, business operations, data quality control, technical equipment, and legal supervision:

First, improving the comprehensive space-air-ground-sea integrated monitoring network;

Second, optimizing the monitoring business system to enhance comprehensive service efficiency;

Third, building a full-process penetrative supervision system to strictly control monitoring data quality;

Fourth, accelerating the digital and intelligent transformation of monitoring equipment and monitoring business;

Fifth, improving laws and regulations to promote the standardized and law-based operation of environmental monitoring.

Supporting six key major projects are launched to specifically address shortcomings in monitoring capabilities: the National Ecological Environment Monitoring Network Operation and Maintenance Improvement Project, the New Pollutant Joint Monitoring Capability Improvement Project, the Biodiversity Special Monitoring Project, the National Greenhouse Gas Unified Monitoring Project, the Enterprise Self-Monitoring Supervision and Management Project, and the National Monitoring Network Digital Upgrade Project.