General Work Plan for Energy Conservation and Pollutant Discharge Reduction

Country / jurisdiction: People's Republic of China · Year: 2006 · Status: In force · Level: National · Type: Voluntary

The General Work Plan was put forth as a result of missed targets with regards to energy saving and discharge reduction of the last year (2005). More specifically cutting energy consumption per unit GDP by 4% and discharges of major pollutants by 2%.

Even more alarming several industrial materials grew to 6% energy consumption per capita including:

electricity;

steel;

nonferrous metals;

construction materials;

oil processing and chemicals;

The industries, which account for nearly 70% of energy consumption and sulfur dioxide discharges of the entire industrial sector, grew by 20.6% in the first quarter, 6.6% points higher than the same period a year earlier.

This plan aims to cut energy intensity by 20% by 2010, as well as cutting the discharge of major pollutants by 10%. This was to be completed by increasing renewable energy, export restrictions on energy intensive and high-pollution products, and pollution-reduction tax incentives; additionally government buildings switched to low-energy lighting and optimally efficient products and machines. Violation of these energy conservation laws can lead to criminal proceedings, and failure to meet targets was taken into account during government-employee and business-leader performance assessments. During the first four years of the plan, energy intensity improved by 14.4%, but dropped sharply in the first quarter of 2010.

Official source: http://www.gov.cn/english/2007-06/03/content_634537.htm