Energy consumption per unit of GDP falls 3%

China's energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) dropped three percent year-on-year in the first three quarters of 2007, a senior economic planning official said on Thursday.

The emission of main pollutants -- sulfur dioxide and chemical oxygen demand (COD) -- also fell during the January to September period, Xie Zhenhua, deputy chief of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), told a Beijing press conference.


China has vowed to cut the energy consumption used to generate per unit of GDP by 20 percent and major pollutants emissions by 10 percent between 2006 and 2010.
During the three quarters, sulfur dioxide emissions fell 1.81 percent and the COD, a measure of water pollution, dropped 0.28 percent, the State Environmental Protection Administration said on November 14.

"Energy saving and pollution reduction efforts are starting to yield results, but the situation is still grave, " Xie said.

He noted the nation would take the full economic, legal and necessary administrative measures to reach the mandatory targets, the government's solemn promise to the people.

To achieve the goal, China has pushed companies to eliminate outdated production facilities and allocated funds to encourage technological innovation.

"The energy saving and pollution reduction endeavor is China's specific action to cut greenhouse gas emissions," Xie noted. He added the nation's energy consumption per unit of GDP dropped 47 percent between 1990 and 2005.

China would also take its due responsibility in tackling global warming, he added. Developed countries, however, should take the major responsibility as they emitted the majority of global greenhouse gases.