Antoaneta Bezlova, Inter Press Service
January 17, 2007

Beijing: China’s resolve to abandon its decades-old habit of pursuing economic growth at any cost and instead promote energy conservation and environmental protection has stumbled because of resistance from development-minded local officials and powerful interest groups. … Last year was “the most grim year for China’s environmental situation”, Pan Yue, deputy head of the State Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), said in a statement last week. “The goals set out by the cabinet at the start of the year have absolutely not been achieved.” … Last week the country’s environmental watchdog targeted major state companies and provincial governments that missed their targets in 2006. Four of the country’s top power firms will not get environmental approval for any projects until they solve pollution and energy-consumption problems in their existing plants, Pan Yue announced. Without such approval, construction of new plants is illegal. … The new crackdown is bolder than SEPA’s previous attempts to safeguard environmental standards because for the first time it targets big state firms, including large steel and power companies. … Read the full story [PDF].