China has stopped fixing annual targets for saving energy and controlling pollution. Instead, from 2007 onwards, the country will have five-year targets.
The move came after the country' energy consumption per unit of gpd fell by 1.23 per cent in 2006-07, far below the target. Speaking at the opening session of the National People's Congress, the country's premier, Wen Jiabao, said the country fell short of the targets set at the beginning of last year for cutting energy consumption per unit of gdp by 4 per cent and discharge of major pollutants by 2 per cent. Wen blamed industrial restructuring and overheated growth in heavy industry.
"It is difficult to set up annual targets on saving energy and controlling pollution because some measures will take years to realise, such as structural adjustments," says Ma Kai, director of the National Development and Reform Commission. Nonetheless, Ma said, the country will stick to its five-year target of curbing energy consumption by 20 per cent per unit of gdp and emissions by 10 per cent by 2010.
While warning that the state will not approve new projects failing to pass energy-saving and environmental-impact assessments, Wen added businesses that fail to comply with standards will be shut down.
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