We should change our approach to energy saving and emission
reduction, says an article in People's Daily. The
following is an excerpt:
Recently, the policy on saving energy and reducing emissions has
cropped up frequently. The State Council approved a scheme that
demands local government leaders shoulder responsibility for saving
energy and reducing emissions, or else face criticism or be forced
to resign.
If the energy-saving policy is implemented well, lots of
benefits will follow such as financial bonuses, preferential loans
and favorable taxes and thus economic development will have more
support.
In fact, many local governments have not paid enough attention
to saving energy. Despite the regulations and measures in force,
they are not effectively carried out.
Energy saving means the technical renovation of old facilities
that costs money. So, this means more investment without
corresponding revenue. This naturally imposes a heavy burden on
both local governments and enterprises.
But if we consider it from another perspective, energy saving
and emission reduction can be turned into gains. In a recycling
economic industrial base in Inner Mongolia, a power plant consumes
the byproducts of coal mining; and a cement plant consumes the
powder and waste of the power plant; and water can be reused after
reprocessing. Emissions are practically zero.
No burden has been added to any of the enterprises. Instead, the
recycling saves production costs and enjoys preferential
taxation.
As a senior petrochemical expert said, resources and pollutants
are relative. If resources cannot be fully used, its emissions
become pollution; if they can be properly used, waste and
pollutants can be turned into precious resources.
So we should change our approach to this work. We should make
great efforts to better use our resources and reduce emissions and
pollutants from the onset.
(China Daily December 3, 2007)
