CHINA FAILS ENVIRONMENT TARGETS

[Anonymous]

China fails environment targets
China
is failing to meet new targets on energy efficiency and pollution
emissions, officials said.China set the targets in a bid to rein in the
environmental costs of the country’s rapid economic growth.But only
Beijing and five other provinces or municipalities improved efficiency
by 4% and cut emissions by 2% in the first six months of
2006.”Nationwide, it is certain that last year’s [targets] could not be
achieved,” official Han Wenke said.Chinese officials did not say how
much the targets had been missed by.The new targets are part of the
2006-10 Five Year Plan, and call for energy consumption per unit of GDP
to be cut by 20%, while pollution emissions should fall 10%.While
figures for the second half of the year are not available, National
Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) Minister Ma Kai said in
December “it is extremely hard to achieve this year’s goal”, according
to the official China Daily.He cited problems with China’s industrial
structure and a lack of supportive policies.The BBC’s Dan Griffiths, in
Beijing, says much of China’s airborne pollution comes from large
coal-burning power stations and car exhaust fumes, neither of which can
be reduced quickly.Many factories also ignore the law and pump toxic
waste into rivers and lakes.And with the country still focused on
breakneck economic growth, there is little sign that things are going
to get better any time soon, our correspondent says.Another senior
officials said the situation was worse than ever.”2006 has been the
most grim year for China’s environmental situation,” vice-minister Pan
Yue was quoted as saying on the Web site of the State Environmental
Protection Administration (Sepa). 

[Author]

January 15, 2007 at 10:52 AM