China accomplishes 5-year emissions reduction target - NDRC
Shanghai. December 1. INTERFAX-CHINA - A senior official from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) announced on Nov. 30 that China has accomplished its emissions reduction target for the 2006-2010 period one month ahead of schedule.
Interfax was unable to independently confirm the NDRC claim.
Xie Zhenhua, vice director of the NDRC, said at an industry workshop in Beijing that the goal of reducing emissions by 20 percent from 2005 levels was realized by phasing out obsolete production capacity in energy intensive industries such as iron, steel, construction materials, coal and coke.
The 11th Five-Year Plan called for China's energy consumption per RMB 10,000 ($1,504) of GDP to drop from 1.22 tons of standard coal in 2005 to under one ton by the end of this year.
Between 2005 and 2009, China's economy grew by an average of 11.4 percent while its energy consumption grew by just 6.8 percent annually, Xie said. Over the period, China reduced its coal consumption by 490 million tons and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 1.13 billion tons, Xie added.
The country plans to continue cutting its energy intensity and carbon emissions as part of the 12th Five-Year Plan, which is currently being drafted.
-WV