Energy Conservation and Environment Top Chinese Legislature’s List

11 March 2007

Xinhua. The 10th National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee has put energy conservation and environmental protection on the top of its agenda for supervision work in 2007.

Members of the Standing Committee pointed out that although the State Council and local governments adopted a series of measures and did a great deal of work, it is difficult to fundamentally solve the longstanding problems of an inefficient pattern of economic growth and an unfavorable economic structure in the short term, that it would be extremely difficult to meet the targets of reducing energy consumption per unit of GDP in 2006 by 4% and reducing the emission of major pollutants by 2%, and that the task of building a conservation-minded and environmentally friendly society is daunting.

We must truly change our approach to development, make innovations in our development model, improve the quality of development, make changing the pattern of economic growth a strategic focus, accelerate economic restructuring, put the focus of work on improving reserves, launch technological upgrading that gives high priority to saving energy, reducing consumption and protecting the environment, develop a circular economy, promote independent innovation and truly make economic and social development more scientific.

—from Work Report of NPC Standing Committee