China on Monday unveiled its targets for carbon emission and energy intensity cuts in industrial production for 2011 as its looks to develop a greener economy.

China aims to reduce energy use and carbon emissions per unit of industrial value-added output by 4 percent this year, relative to 2010 levels, Zhou Changyi, director of energy conservation and comprehensive utilization department with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said at a conference in Nanjing, capital of eastern Jiangsu Province.

Water use per unit of industrial value-added output will be slashed by 7 percent this year, he said.

The cuts are part of the country's wider plan to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions per unit of industrial value-added output by 18 percent by 2015, said MIIT deputy minister Su Bo.

The government also pledged a 30 percent reduction in water consumption per unit of industrial value-added output by 2015, he added.

The new requirements are higher than the 16 percent cuts in both energy intensity and carbon emission by 2015 and a 25 percent reduction in water use in industrial production, which were fixed at the end of last year by MIIT, he said.

As China's industrialization and urbanization processes continue to evolve and develop rapidly, ever increasing amounts of steel, cement and other industrial products are demanded.

However, depletion of resources and pollution have prompted the government to increase energy efficiency and cut carbon emissions to achieve sustainable development.

China, as the world's largest primary energy consumer, pledged in its 12th Five-Year Program to cut energy consumption per unit of GDP by 16 percent while slashing carbon emissions by 17 percent in the five years to 2015. That will help China meet its pledge of reducing carbon intensity by 40 to 45 percent by 2020 from 2005 levels.

Official data shows China saw a 26 percent decline in energy use per unit of industrial value-added output in the five years to 2010, with 750 million tonnes of coal equivalent saved. Industrial value-added output rose at an annual average rate of 11.57 percent during the 2006-2010 period.

Former MIIT minister Li Yizhong said at the end of last year that China's industrial value-added output would likely increase 10 percent each year during the five years to 2015.

Su said China should step up improving industrial structure and technological upgrading to meet the goals. "The industrial sector will resolutely achieve targets on energy conservation and environment protection for the next five years," he forecasted.

Zhou also urged local authorities to set their own green targets and said the MIIT will strengthen supervision on major energy users.