China misses energy efficiency targets

China failed to hit its national energy efficiency target in 2006, the South China Morning Post reported. Energy consumed for every RMB10,000 (US$1,320) of GDP was 1.206 metric tons of standard coal equivalent in 2006, 1.33% less than in 2005. The drop was the first in three years and 0.1% more than originally announced, but well short of the 4% target Beijing had set, said Xie Fuzhan, director of the National Bureau of Statistics. "We are aware that the failure in the first year piles up the pressure for the remaining years," he said. Energy consumption per capita dropped in 29 out of 30 provinces and municipalities, though only Beijing met the national target after it relocated its worst polluter, Shougang Steel, and shut down other factories. The city's energy consumption per unit of GDP dropped 5.25%.