Green growth is the key

BEIJING, Sept. 29 (Xinhuanet) -- As the world's second-largest economy, China surely matters a lot to international efforts to avoid a double-dip recession.

However, in addition to fundamental reforms debt-laden rich countries require for the global recovery to thrive, China needs to rapidly transform its model to pursue greener and more sustainable growth.

The latest call by Premier Wen Jiabao for local governments to be aware of the "extreme significance and urgency" of the task of energy conservation and emissions reduction was thus more than necessary.

China met its target to cut energy intensity, or units of energy used per unit of GDP, by nearly 20 percent from 2006 to 2010. It had nonetheless managed to register average annual economic growth of 11.2 percent with a yearly rise in energy consumption of only 6.6 percent in the five years.

However, the authorities realize that the situation remains serious. The country's huge and growing appetite for energy means higher efficiency is badly needed not only to enhance energy security but also to help the world to deal with climate change.

Hence, the country aims to reduce energy intensity by 16 percent by 2015 while slashing 17 percent from the 2010 level of carbon dioxide emissions by 2015.

To this end, the government has promised to promote reform of resource and environmental taxes and curb exports of products that are made at the cost of high energy consumption and pollution.