China Admits Missing Both Pollution & Energy-Efficiency Goals For 2006 - AFP

[hatrack]

China failed to meet government targets for improving energy use and cutting pollution last year as the nation's environmental woes worsened, a senior official said Wednesday.

"The year 2006 was the most serious year for China's environmental situation," Pan Yue, a vice minister of the State Environmental Protection Administration said in a statement on the watchdog's website. "Environmental problems have already become the major bottleneck constraining China's economic and social development." Pan said China suffered 161 severe environmental pollution incidents last year, without detailing what they were.

China also failed to realise its 2006 goals of reducing energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) by four percent and cutting emissions of pollutants by two percent, he said.

Pan did not say how badly the targets were missed, but other government reports showed that China actually increased both energy use per unit of GDP and pollution emissions during the first six months of the year.

EDIT

http://www.terradaily.com/2006/070110100624.1bs23tr9.html

[eppur_se_muova]

1. Did the US meet its goals? Oh wait ... we don't have any. nt

[kestrel91316]

2. Well, I guess that's it then. Proves that nothing can be done. They may

as well just continue their dependence on fossil fuels.

:sarcasm:

Now if they would just watch us Amurkins to see how it's done......