In the first three years of China's 11th 5-year plan (2006-2010), energy consumption per unit of GDP fell 10.1 percent, emissions of sulfur dioxide dropped 8.95 percent, and chemical oxygen demand (COD), a measure of water pollution, was down 6.61 percent.  In the first quarter of this year, energy consumption per unit of GDP abated 2.89 percent year-on-year, 0.27 percent higher than the firs quarter of 2008.

Still, the country faces severe environmental challenges, and the government intends to take these challenges as opportunities to adjust industrial structure, fend off international financial crisis, and create new pivotal industrial sectors.

As the action plan, China will strictly control the new construction of energy-intensive and high pollution facilities and strictly restrict the export of energy-intensive and high pollution products. In 2009, China will continue to eliminate outdated capacities in key industries, including 1.5 million KW capacity in electricity generation, 10 million tons in iron-making, 6 million tons in steel industry, and 50 million tons of production capacity in cement industry. 

With focused effort on key projects and key areas, and with more related investment from the central and local governments, the objective in 2009 is to reduce energy consumption equal to 75 million tons of standard coal equivalent for key projects and 20 million tons of standard coal equivalent for other enterprises. New sewage treatment projects will treat 10 million cubic meters of waste water per day. New de-sulfuring facilities will be installed to cover 50 million KW of coal-burning power generation.  In addition, 60 million square meters of residential area in northern China will be remodeled with more energy efficient heating systems.

Other objectives set up at the meeting include, among others, developing recycling systems and technologies, promoting energy efficient products, increasing governmental supervision, and actively participating in international cooperation.