Sustainable Development: New Buzzword for China


BBC reports from the meeting of China's legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC) which has opened today Monday, in Beijing with a two hour speech by Prime Minister Wen Jiabao:

Mr Wen said China would do more to save energy, cut pollution and continue the country's stellar economic growth. He promised to reduce the gap between wealthy cities and poorer rural areas. Correspondents say the report goes to the heart of the government's pledge to focus more on sustainable development than rapid economic growth at any cost.

Wen Jiabao is quoted as saying:

"The pattern of economic growth is inefficient. This can be seen most clearly in excessive energy consumption and serious environmental pollution. We must attach greater importance to saving energy and resources, protecting the environment and using land intensively."

China Daily doesn't have any news about this speech yet, but recently published several articles about global warming in China.

Also, People's Daily noted yesterday that China's per unit of GDP energy consumption fell 1.23 percent in 2006, well short of the projected target of 4 percent. China also failed to achieve its pollution reduction goal, with major pollutants, including sulfur dioxide emissions and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) both increasing last year.

People's Daily Online: Local governments vow to meet energy saving, pollution reduction goals

China Daily: Wen Targets Balanced Growth

(Photo of Wen Jiabao from NHK World)

Comments

Pandabonium said…
Sustainable development. An oxymoron if I ever heard one.
8:04 pm, March 06, 2007
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