China needs to carry forward its energy-efficient lighting program to ensure the sustainable development of its population, economy, society, resources and environment, Chinese experts said.

Lighting accounts for between 10 and 20 percent of total electricity consumption in China, so governments and businesses should study advanced experience from China and abroad for better energy efficiency, officials and experts said Wednesday on the first of a two-day seminar on the promotion of the environmentally friendlier lights.

To promote energy saving and environmental protection and to improve lighting quality, the State Economic and Trade Commission initiated the so-called China Green Lights Program in early 1996, according to Zhao Jiarong, director of the commission's Department of Resources Conservation and Comprehensive Utilization.

The program has achieved positive results. According to a spot check conducted in 1998, more than 177 million high-efficiency lamps were installed in that year, saving about 17 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity.

Last year, the commission and the United Nations Development Program and the Global Environment Facility, formally started their so-called China Green Lights Project to further promote China's program.

The project is being implemented during the 10th Five-Year Plan period (2001-05). The Global Environment Facility has donated US$8.1 million to support the project. The Chinese Government, the lighting industry and related organizations will provide parallel finance when needed.

Liu Xianfa, another official with Zhao's department, said that the project has benefited from increasing international co-operation, with the World Bank and countries such as Japan and the United States also contributing.

He told China Daily that the latest step in the project involves the energy saving for the construction of stadiums for the 2008 Olympics.

China should draw lessons from developed countries in promoting energy-efficient lighting, he said. It should buy goods in bulk, set up a government procurement pilot plan and provide subsidies to consumers who use certified and labeled energy-efficient lighting products, he said.

(China Daily November 7, 2002)