The China Public Environmental Protection Index 2006 has been formally issued.

Under the instruction of the State Environmental Protection Administration, the Index is compiled by the China Environmental Culture Promotion Association and has been hailed in local media as the "weatherglass of public awareness" regarding environmental protection in China.

According to the Index, 61% of those in the survey believe the Chinese government has attached great importance in protecting the environment. 70% of them approve the idea that industrial projects should carry out environmental impact surveys and audits before building factories and manufacturing facilities. The Index shows that environmental problems threaten the survival of the humans and food security is a top concern of Chinese people, who are also worried about pollution and the misuse of chemical fertilizers. However, the Index also shows that the public's awareness concerning environmental protection is still generally very weak.

Pan Yue, Vice Minister of SEPA, says that the basic object for China to create a environmental-friendly society is to establish a production system of low cost, a living system of proper consumption, an environmental system of sustainable recycling, a stable economic system and an advanced social democratic system.