China Misses 2010 Energy Goals

With less than eight months left, China’s chance to cut energy intensity by 20 percent between 2006 and 2010 seems rather slim at best.

After a hard-won decline of 14.38 percent in energy consumption per unit of GDP between 2006-2009, China saw a 3.2 percent rebound in energy intensity in the first quarter of this year due to lax controls over energy-consuming and polluting sectors in the face of the debilitating global downturn.

However, even if it looks like a losing battle now, we should spare no effort in the fight, as the five-year energy goal is only the beginning in the country’s long-term push toward sustainable development.