Zhou Hongchun, DRC

2017-6-16

After China’s economic development entered the stage of new normal, the economic performance is featured by slow growth, the optimization of structure, the transformation of driving forces and the improvement of people’s living standards. The economic growth is shifting from a high-speed to a mid-to-high speed and the economic structure is being rebalanced. The investment-driven growth is transforming into innovation-driven growth, and new industries, new formats and new models are emerging. The theory of innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared development as well as supply-side reform tasks of cutting overcapacity, destocking, de-leveraging, lowering corporate costs, and improving weak links have created favorable conditions for energy conservation.

First, the government plays an indispensable role in energy conservation. Great achievements have been made such as the energy efficiency has improved, the technical support is enforced, the awareness of the whole society on energy conservation has raised, and relevant systems and mechanisms have gradually improved. Under the new normal of economic development, it’s necessary for us to have a new understanding about government’s role in energy conservation.

Second, we need to face up to challenges relating to energy conservation. Since China’s economic development entered the new normal, the energy and resource consumption growth is slowing down and achievements have been made in adjusting the economic structure. With the constant optimization of industrial structure, new industries, new formats and new growth points are emerging. The energy conservation and environmental protection industries have kept a sound development momentum and the energy conservation work is facing favorable prospects, but there still remain challenges which can’t be neglected.

Third, energy conservation requires the determination of the government and the efforts made by enterprises. Conserving energy is an indispensable part of green development as well as an important aspect of national governance capacity. It requires the determination of the government, enterprises’ endeavour investment intensity, strong R&D support, the appropriate attitude taken by media as well as social concern.