The Chinese government has issued clean production evaluation
systems for six industries as part of a nationwide effort to curb
air and water pollution.
The six industries addressed are: cement, fermentation, soda
ash, machinery, sulphuric acid and leather.
The six sets of standards became effective on July 20 on a trial
basis in a bid to improve the efficiencies of resources, and
minimize the emission of pollutants, according to the National
Development and Reform Commission. The commission published the
systems on its official website.
The commission indicated that the standards would be revised to
keep pace with economic and technological development.
The standards contain dozens of indices. Air, water and solid
pollutants emissions and the efficiencies of energy and resources
utilizationare are?all included in the list.
China is committed to improving its energy efficiency. The
country's goal is to cut energy consumption per unit of GDP by 20
percent, along with a 10 percent cut in major pollutants, between
2006 and 2010.
Official figures showed that China's per unit of GDP energy
consumption fell 1.23 percent in 2006, well short of the projected
target of 4 percent. On July 16 Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao?said that China must improve
energy efficiency and upgrade its capacity to deal with climate
changes. "Cutting energy consumption and pollutant emissions and
dealing with climate change are urgent, critically important
tasks," Wen said.
(Xinhua News Agency July 23, 2007)
