China saw its energy
consumption per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) value drop
from the third quarter of 2006, the first fall in three years, said
the central economic planning body.
"The government's efforts to reduce energy consumption
produced relatively good results, but they were still far from the
original target," said Han Yongwen, secretary general of the
National Development and Reform Commission, during an online
interview on Tuesday.
He did not disclose the specific margin of energy
reduction.
Amid mounting concern over energy demand and
environmental pollution brought about by high energy consumption,
the government planned to cut energy use per unit of GDP value by
20 percent from 2006 to 2010, and by 4 percent in 2006.
However, the energy consumption per unit of GDP rose
0.8 percent instead of declining in the first half of 2006, leaving
the government an even more arduous task.
Han contributed the rise to the high proportion of
heavy industry in the economic structure, the mode of economic
growth relying on scale and a time-lag between policies and their
effects.
The government has set energy saving and pollution
reduction as its primary tasks in restructuring the national
economy after the central economic work conference held last
December.
"We'll make utmost efforts with utmost determination
to ensure the targets be met," said Han.
(Xinhua News Agency January 24, 2007)
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