Xie Zhenhua, vice minister of the National Development and Reform Commission

China will have made great achievements in energy saving and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by the end of 11th Five-Year plan (2005-2010), a top Chinese official said today.

Xie Zhenhua, vice minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, made the remarks at a press conference Wednesday afternoon on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People's Congress.

Xie said, "By the end of 2009, the fourth year of 11th Five-Year plan, energy consumption per unit of GDP had decreased 14.38 percent. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions, which are major measures of water and air pollution, decreased 9.66 percent and 13.14 percent respectively."

Xie said China will invest 83.3 billion yuan (US$12.19 billion) in 2010 to support carbon emissions reductions. Small coal-fired thermal power generating units with a total capacity of 10 million kW nationwide, 25 million tons of iron-making capacity, 6 million tons of steel-making capacity, and 50 million tons of cement-making capacity will be cut this year, he said.

"We have 17 departments and nine projects involved in energy saving and carbon dioxide emissions," Xie said. "It's a national campaign in China now."

Zhang Lijun, vice minister of Environmental Protection in charge of energy saving, emissions reduction and climate change, said 2010 will be a crucial year for achieving the goals of the 11th Five-Year plan and defining the environmental components of the 12th Five-Year (2011-2015).

"During the 12th Five-Year plan, we will broaden the definition of pollutants in line with the first national census of pollution sources released this February," Zhang said.

Xie said that following the Copenhagen conference, China will continue to take part in negotiations in accordance with the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities," following the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol, and the Bali Road Map.

"We really hope to reach a deal at the Mexico Climate Conference this year," Xie said.

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