BEIJING — China launched a strategic environmental impact assessment across its three major economic powerhouses, the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) said on Oct 27.

The assessment will cover the northern Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, as well as the Yangtze River Delta and the Peal River Delta in the south.

Pan Yue, vice-minister of the MEP, said these regions, while being substantial economic growth drivers, were infamous for their environmental problems, and this had stirred the public to demand change.

Pan said the assessment will include the monitoring of urban development, distributing and capping pollutant emissions, and pressuring industries to undertake economic restructuring, among others.

The MEP is taking various measures to improve the way it undertakes environmental impact assessment, including revising regulations to combat corruption.