According to the Global Times newspaper, the finance ministry conducted an inspection in May in nine provinces, including Beijing. The inspection results shown that the local administration, including in Tianjin in Anhui Province, had used special funds to cover other expenses or even squandered the money.
In particular, the officials in Anhui province used 219 million yuan for the expenses not related to the protection of the environment. Another 2.57 million yuan were spent on repair of buildings, purchase of equipment, and other expenses which have nothing to do with protecting the environment.
According to the newspaper, the ministry had pledged to take measures to restore the fund and urged local authorities to correct their mistakes.
China is one f the world's largest producers of carbon emissions, along with the United States. In 2014, the two countries agreed to transition to low-carbon economies. Among other points, the Chinese authorities set a target to cut on carbon intensity and find alternative energy sources.
