"It will take China 50 years to reach the level of sustainable development in moderately developed courtiers and enter the top ten rankings in overall capability of sustainable development" said Niu Wenyuan, chief scientist of the research group for sustainable development of the Chinese Academy of Sciences at the 21st Century Forum' 2005 on September 5.

The goals are as follows:

By 2050, the contribution of scientific development to the overall national economy reaches 70 to 75 percent.

By 2050, the average life expectancy of Chinese people can reach 85 years.

By 2050, Engel Coefficient averagely should be below 0.15, Gini Coefficient averagely between 0.30 and 0.35, Human Development Index above 0.9 and dual structure coefficient within 1.5.

In 2050, per capita years of receiving education will be extended from the present 7.8 years to above 14 years.

China will strive to realize a zero growth of its natural growth rate of population and at the same time improve the population quality and mix.

China will strive to realize a zero growth of the speed of energy and resources consumption and at the same time vigorously improve its capability of wealth accumulation.

China will strive to realize a zero growth of the speed of degradation of eco-system and environment and meanwhile make efforts to improve their quality, and improve the overall living environment to enter a sound cycle of sustainable development in an all-round way.

Niu said, based on the conclusion drawn from the consensus across the world, to implement the strategy of sustainable development, all the countries must strive for "three zero growths": first, zero growth of natural growth rate of population, which is a basic balance between birth rate and death rate and is yet to be attained in China; second, zero growth of the speed of consumption of energy and resources, which cannot be realized without a balanced population, but through building a conservation-minded society and take a path of a new type of industrialization, which will pave the way for the third step, zero growth of the speed of the degradation of eco-system and environment.

By People's Daily Online