China´s industrial pollution, energy consumption task still "grim", NDRC chief

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Source: CCTV.com | 08-30-2007 13:15

More than 8,000 Chinese enterprises have been penalized for pollution offences in the first eight months this year -- marking a "success" and indicating a "grim" task ahead, said the head of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) on Wednesday.

In a report on economic and social development this year to the 29th session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, NDRC director Ma Kai said, "China's drive to improve energy efficiency and cut pollution emissions has achieved primary success."

Ma told lawmakers the government had strengthened supervision of enterprises with regard to energy-efficiency and pollution, saying dozens of construction projects were permanently closed.

By February, 12 projects that seriously violated environmental protection regulations, had been permanently shut down.

"The government has taken various measures to promote energy efficiency and to reduce pollution and strictly control the expansion of high energy-consuming industries."

Ma said 103 projects, involving total investment of 330.9 billion yuan (43.8 billion U.S. dollars), that failed to meet environmental standards, had been refused or delayed approval this year.

Small coal-fired generation units with a combined generating capacity of 5.5 million kilowatts were closed in the first half.

The government set aside another 10 billion yuan (1.33 billion U.S.dollars) to improve energy efficiency and cut pollutant discharges, bringing the total annual investment for the purpose to 21.3 billion yuan.

"But the energy consumption and pollution is still grim," Ma said.

2007 ENERGY EFFICIENCY & POLLUTION CONTROL

12 projects closed over violating environmental regulations

103 projects not approved due to poor environmental standards

21.3 billion yuan spent on improving energy-efficiency