"Energy consumption per unit of GDP should fall by about 4 percent in 2006," said Wen while delivering a report on government work at the opening meeting of the Fourth Session of the Tenth National People's Congress (NPC), the top legislature.
It is the first time that
"Energy-efficiency is indeed a key economic index, but few governments have made it a national policy," Jiang Xinmin, an expert with the Energy Institute under the State Development and Reform Commission.
China is determined to reduce energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) by 20 percent in the coming five years, a new round of economic and social development beginning this year, Wen said in his report, which includes the draft outline of the 11th Five-Year (2006-2010) program for examination and approval by the legislature.
Necessitated by the country's current conditions and long-term interests, these targets are designed to tackle the mounting pressure on resources and environment and provide a clear guide for policy making, Wen addressed the 2,927 NPC deputies present at the meeting held at the Great Hall of the People in downtown Beijing.
"Though achieving them will be quite difficult, we have the confidence and determination to succeed," Wen said, showing that
The index will from now on become a substantial indicator measuring economic performance, said Jiang.
Official statistics show that the total volume of energy consumption in
The premier called for the establishment of various standards for conserving energy, water, land and materials in all industries, and the development of environment-friendly products, projects and buildings.
Wen added that energy-efficiency index of all regions and major industries will be released to the public on an annual basis. In this sense, the public will be mobilized to join in the long-term campaign of energy and resources conservation in a bid to bolster a recyclable economy and an environment-friendly society.
Although rich in natural resources in terms of its vast territory,
The per capita sum of arable land, water, mineral resources and energy resources in
The volume of carbon dioxide discharge per unit of GDP in
The total volume of major pollutant discharges is set to drop 10 percent by 2010, according to the draft outline on economic and social development for 2006-2010.
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