China's local governments say they are determined to reach 2007
energy saving and pollution reduction goals, after the country
dipped out on last year's targets.
At annual sessions of local people's congresses and people's
political consultative conferences in January and February,
provincial governments have put energy saving and pollution
reduction goals at the top of their 2007 agendas.
China has committed itself to improving energy efficiency -- its
goal is to cut energy consumption by 20 percent per unit of GDP,
along with a 10 percent cut in major pollutants, between 2006 and
2010.
China's per unit of GDP energy consumption fell 1.23 percent
in2006, well short of the projected target of 4 percent, official
figures released this week show.
China also failed to achieve its pollution reduction goal, with
major pollutants, including sulfur dioxide emissions and Chemical
Oxygen Demand (COD) both increasing last year.
The central government has reacted vigorously.
The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) announced
in January that China would close small coal-fired power units with
total annual capacity of 50 million kilowatts over the next four
years.
Analysts say that success or failure with the 20 percent target
is crucial to China's sustainable prosperity. But success depends
on local implementation with some provinces notoriously turning a
deaf ear to central government vows to cut energy consumption.
With mounting pressure from the central authority and an outcry
from the public, provincial governors are at last waking up to the
importance of energy conservation and environmental protection.
Liang Baohua, governor of Jiangsu Province,
said in his report to the provincial people's congress that this
"year's energy saving and pollution control goals are compulsory
and must be achieved, while the economic growth rate of 11 percent
is flexible and can be adjusted according to practical
situations."
For two decades, economic growth was the overriding
consideration in local development and the sole criterion for
judging local government performance. The new priorities represent
a drastic and unprecedented change.
According to Liang's report, per unit of GDP energy consumption
in the province fell 4.02 percent last year, with a 3.3-percent cut
in major pollutants. The Jiangsu provincial government has set the goal
of cutting energy consumption by 4.2 percent and major pollutants
by 3.3 percent this year.
For the country's capital, Beijing, the upcoming 2008 Olympics
is an opportunity to make real environmental progress.
"Beijing will close 80 mines, move several chemical plants out
of the city, set new pollution discharge standards, and
newly-designed residential buildings will consume 65 percent less
energy," said Beijing Mayor Wang Qishan in his work report.
Officials in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province are also keen to cut
energy consumption and protect the environment. Heilongjiang boasts
the Songhua River -- seriously polluted in 2005 after a chemical
plant explosion that caused a four-day water cutoff in the
provincial capital Harbin.
According to a circular issued by the provincial government in
January, a series of policies will be adopted to ensure the local
economy develops in a harmonious way.
Governments at all levels in the province have been instructed
to make environmental impact reports a key investment evaluation
criterion.
"Projects that may have a big impact on the environment must be
carefully evaluated before being approved," says the circular.
"Major polluters" such as coal mines and oil companies will have
to reach for their wallets to repair the damage they do to the
environment.
What's more, a new local official assessment system will make
environmental protection achievements an important element of
judging performances in Heilongjiang Province, said the
circular.
All officials in Heilongjiang will be "audited" about their
environmental protection performance when they leave their
posts.
This will incite local officials, who used to be judged on their
economic performance alone, to pay more attention to energy saving
and environmental protection.
In the run-up to the annual parliament session set to open next
Monday, Pan Yue, deputy director of the State Environmental
Protection Administration (SEPA), urged China's legislature to
amend its 17-year-old environmental law to hold government
officials accountable for pollution.
The law should specify and emphasize the government's
responsibility in environmental protection and impose harsher
punishments, he said.
Analysts are waiting for Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's address to the forthcoming fifth
session of the 10th National People's Congress (NPC) to get a
clearer indication of government thinking on the issue.
(Xinhua News Agency March 4, 2007)