Regional leaders are undermining China's national campaign to reduce its staggering energy consumption, The New York Times reported Saturday.

The thwarting of the energy campaign shows the difficulties of trying to impose reform in a country where regional economic disparities are growing rapidly, the Times said.

The energy campaign required an increase in power prices to discourage the growth of large power-consuming industries. But in China's western region, for example, local leaders fearing the impact on the economy exempted a huge aluminum maker from the price hike, enabling it to keep consuming 20 percent of the region's power supply, the Times reported.

China's energy consumption has more than quadrupled since 1980 making it the world's largest user of coal, the dirtiest type of energy, the Times reported, noting China's coal consumption is projected to double during the next two decades.  // Copyright 2007 by United Press International




Publication date: 26 November 2007   

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