China warns regions energy goals not being met

Robert Besser
04 Jun 2021, 12:19 GMT+10

China has warned provincial and regional governments about missing energy consumption and efficiency targets for 2021, after 10 of 30 local governments missed their quarterly targets
The eastern province of Zhejiang, along with Yunnan and Guandong, as well as the Guangxi region in southern China, received the lowest ratings for both their consumption and intensity targets
Beijing vowed to reduce the amount of energy consumed per unit of economic growth, known as energy intensity, by some 3 percent in 2021 to meet its climate goals

BEIJING, China: China has warned provincial and regional governments about missing energy consumption and efficiency targets for 2021, after 10 of 30 local governments missed their quarterly targets.

The provinces fell short of goals to reduce energy consumption and the amount of energy consumed per unit of economic growth in the first quarter, the National Development and Reform Commission said in a statement. It warned all local governments that they could miss their full-year targets.

The eastern province of Zhejiang, along with Yunnan and Guandong, as well as the Guangxi region in southern China, received the lowest ratings for both their consumption and intensity targets.

Other regions fell short of at least one environmental or energy target.

Chinese officials said those regions being warned should "adopt forceful measures to quickly reverse the passive situation and ensure achievement of the annual targets, especially the energy intensity goals."

Beijing vowed to reduce the amount of energy consumed per unit of economic growth, known as energy intensity, by some 3 percent in 2021 to meet its climate goals. China missed its target by 15 percent during the 2016-2020 period.

Energy consumption in four of the worst-performing regions increased during the first four months of 2021, largely attributed to strong industrial activities and unusually warm weather, which increased demand for air conditioners.