China pledges greater reforms to chart course for sustainable growth

SPEEDING UP GREEN TRANSITION

A moderate GDP target would also give officials room to push the green transformation of many industries, which is often considered unlikely to generate immediate economic gains.

China will stay true to the principle that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets and promote green development, Premier Li said in the government work report.

Pursuing an eco-friendly growth pattern over the years, the country has taken multiple measures to promote the wider use of renewable energy, cut the production capacity of resource-intensive sectors and wage a battle against pollution.

Official statistics show that by 2019, carbon emission intensity in China had decreased by 48.1 percent compared with 2005, exceeding the target of reductions in carbon emission intensity by 40 to 45 percent between 2005 and 2020.

In 2021, energy consumption per unit of GDP and carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP will be reduced by 13.5 percent and 18 percent, respectively, according to the report.

The government will also draw up an action plan for peaking carbon emissions before 2030 and make efforts to improve its industrial structure and energy mix, the report said.

Zhang Ming, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that the country is expected to adopt more stringent targets on energy conservation in the context of peaking carbon emissions and achieving carbon neutrality.