Premier Wen: 2008 critical for green targets

Premier Wen Jiabao has presided over a meeting on cutting energy consumption and pollutant emissions. He said 2008 is a critical year for meeting the targets of a five-year plan that spans 2006 through 2010. And he pushed for stricter measures and higher standards to conserve resources and protect the environment. 

Tuesday's meeting reviewed the work that was done to cut energy consumption and pollutant emissions in 2007 and made plans for the second half of 2008. The meeting participants agreed that governmental departments and agencies executed their environmental tasks well last year.

High priority had been given to shutting down backward production facilities, including small coal mines, some iron smelting facilities, and many steel and cement plants. The meeting pointed out, however, that meeting the five-year targets remained a tough mission.

Premier Wen Jiabao spelt out plans to control pollution in major river and lakes. He said the country should focus on energy conservation in key enterprises. And that an equal amount of effort should be given to develop clean and renewable energy sources, like wind and solar energy.

The meeting concluded that governments at all levels should take their energy conservation and emissions reduction tasks as an opportunity to adjust their economic structure.

Editor:Yang Jie