China will look to develop a resource efficient economy, according to Chinese President Hu Jintao.
Speaking at the 18th Party Congress of the country’s Communist Party, the President outlined key environmental goals that must be met by 2020 to ensure the “building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects”.
He added: “[We must] promote a conservation culture by basically forming an energy and resource efficient and environmentally friendly structure of industries, pattern of growth and mode of consumption.
“We will have a large-scale circular economy and considerably increase the proportion of renewable energy sources in total energy consumption.
“The discharge of major pollutants will be brought under effective control and the ecological and environmental quality will improve notably. Awareness of conservation will be firmly established in the whole of society.”
President Hu Jintao also said that adhering to the basic state policy of conserving resources and the environment is vital to the immediate interests of the people and the survival and development of the Chinese nation.
He added: “We must give prominence to building a resource-conserving, environmentally-friendly society in our strategy for industrialisation and modernisation and get every organisation and family to act accordingly.
“We will improve laws and policy to promote energy, resources, ecological and environmental conservation, and speed up the formation of systems and mechanisms for sustainable development.”
Although Hu Jintao will step down from his role during the congress, he will work with expected president Xi Jinping during a transition period.
Policy, as well as roles on the range of hierarchical committees in the Communist Party is decided in backroom deals at the event, but the views of current and previous leaders tend to hold most sway.
