2011-09-08   Source: CSR-China   

On July 20, The State Council, China’s cabinet, reviewed and approved in principle a 2011-2015 work plan on energy-saving and emissions reduction to protect the environment and promote sustainable development on Tuesday.

The country fulfilled most of its energy-saving and emission reduction goals set in the nation's 11th Five-Year Plan period (2006-2010), according to report by the official Xinhua news agency, citing a statement summing up a cabinet meeting presided over by Premier Wen Jiabao.

Greater efforts should be made to promote energy saving and emissions reductions in key areas over the next 5 years, and the country will continue to eliminate out-of-date capacity, develop public transportation, implement energy-saving projects and promote the use of energy-saving products, Wen said.

He called for more efforts to optimize the country's industrial structure, develop its service industry and strategic emerging industries, and build a safe, stable, economical and clean energy system.

Wen also urged efforts to introduce advanced technologies to raise energy efficiency, reduce pollution, and strengthen energy-saving and emissions-reduction management.

The country will press ahead with reforms of resources taxes and environmental taxes, and adjust import and export duties to curb exports of energy-intensive and high-pollution products, he said.

Currently, China faces heavy pressures in saving energy and cutting emissions.

In the first quarter of this year, industrial added value of 6 high energy-consuming sectors advanced 12.2% on a yearly basis, 2.6 percentage points faster than that in the previous quarter, indicating increasing pressure in eliminating backward production capacity, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

Major measures related to energy saving and emissions reduction are expected to be issued in the following months, including assessment systems for local officials, controlling targets and management for total energy consumption, informed people told the official Shanghai Securities News.

The central government has stepped up closing down outmoded production facilities, an insider told the Shanghai-based paper.

The MIIT has asked the country’s cement industry to cut backward capacity by 150 million tonnes before the end of this year. The figure was 50% more than that in 2010 and also above the market estimate of 130 million tonnes.