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BEIJING - China's leaders will unveil on Monday a raft of detailed environmental and energy-saving policies, specifically targeting heavy industry, but they have shied away from concrete goals this year after a disappointing 2006.
In annual reports to the National People's Congress, China's parliament, Premier Wen Jiabao and top finance and energy officials will say regulation and punishments have not been strong enough to meet government plans to boost efficiency.
Driven by worries about energy security amid booming oil imports, and the rising economic and social cost of pollution, Beijing is trying to reverse years of promoting economic growth at any cost and push for greener development.
"Quite a few companies did not do enough to curb energy and protect the environment. Some energy reduction programmes need time to take effect," the work report from the energy policy setting National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) says.
"Since enforcement isn't enough and the cost of violations is low, illegally wasting resources and damaging the environment hasn't stopped," it added, according to excerpts seen by Reuters.
Wen singled out heavy industry for criticism, saying it had expanded rapidly, sometimes ignoring standards, and outdated plants that had been ordered to shut failed to do so.
- REUTERS
