China Sets Energy Consumption Cap For First Time
China aims to keep energy consumption within 5 billion metric tons of standard coal equivalent by 2020, it said in its five-year plan, marking the first time the world's second-biggest economy has set such a target.
China has long been considering an energy consumption cap in a bid to improve industrial efficiency, tackle smog and control greenhouse gas emissions, which are the highest in the world. Beijing is also pushing structural reforms to decouple economic growth from energy consumption.
"Energy consumption will be less than 5 billion metric tons if China's structural adjustment goes smoothly," said Xi Fengming, an expert on carbon emissions at the China Academy of Sciences, adding that the planned launch of a nationwide carbon emissions market next year would make it easier to achieve.
http://www.climatecentral.org/news/china-sets-energy-consumption-cap-20128
