China sets targets to cut carbon emission

Gearing up to keep up with its commitment to cut energy consumption per unit of GDP by 16 per cent and slash emissions by 17 per cent by 2015, China on Monday unveiled its targets for energy cuts in industrial production for this year.

Under the schedule, China world's largest primary energy consumer aims to reduce energy use and carbon emissions per unit of industrial value-added output by 4 per cent this year, relative to 2010 levels, Zhou Changyi, director of Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) told a conference in Nanjing, capital of eastern Jiangsu Province.

Water use per unit of industrial value-added output will be slashed by 7 per cent this year, he said. The cuts are part of the country's wider plan to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions per unit of industrial value-added output by 18 per cent by 2015, said MIIT deputy minister Su Bo.

The government also pledged a 30 per cent reduction in water consumption per unit of industrial value-added output by 2015, state run Xinhua news agency quoted him as saying.

The new requirements are higher than the 16 per cent cuts in both energy intensity and carbon emission by 2015 and a 25 per cent reduction in water use in industrial production, which were fixed at the end of last year by MIIT, he said.
China has pledged in its 12th Five-Year (2011-2015) Programme to cut energy consumption per unit of GDP by 16 per cent while slashing carbon emissions by 17 per cent in the five years to 2015.

That will help China meet its pledge of reducing carbon intensity by 40 to 45 per cent by 2020 from 2005 levels. As China's industrialisation and urbanisation processes continue to evolve and develop rapidly, ever increasing amounts of steel, cement and other industrial products are in big demand.

However, depletion of resources and pollution have prompted the government to increase energy efficiency and cut carbon emissions to achieve sustainable development. Official data claim 26 per cent decline in energy use per unit of industrial value-added output in the five years to 2010, with 750 million tonnes of coal equivalent saved.

Industrial value-added output rose at an annual average rate of 11.57 per cent during the 2006-2010 period. Former MIIT minister Li Yizhong said at the end of last year that China's industrial value-added output would likely increase 10 per cent each year during the five years to 2015.

Su said China should step up improving industrial structure and technological upgrading to meet the goals. "The industrial sector will resolutely achieve targets on energy conservation and environment protection for the next five years," he forecasted.

Zhou also asked local authorities to set their own green targets and said the MIIT will strengthen supervision on major energy users.