Energy and Environment Sustainable Development Research

Author: Qu Geping
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-09-01
Features: The continuous deepening of China's reform and opening-up and sustained high-speed economic growth are profoundly transforming China's socio-economic landscape. From 1979 to 2002, China's economy grew at an average annual rate of 9.4%, the fastest in the world. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased from 362.4 billion yuan in 1978 to 10,239.8 billion yuan in 2002. Per capita GDP rose from 379 yuan in 1978 to 7,997 yuan in 2002, with significant progress also made in industrialization and urbanization. The rapid economic development has placed immense pressure on the environment. The Chinese government has taken a series of major actions and measures to protect the environment, achieving the expected results. However, overall, the progress made so far remains preliminary. Due to the long-term adherence to an extensive economic growth model, China has high resource consumption and large pollutant emissions. The pollution intensity per unit of industrial output is 8-10 times that of developed countries, and the discharge of major pollutants still far exceeds the environmental carrying capacity.