Thumbs up for going green message

Thumbs up for going green message

by Irina de Carvalho

“I think the Chinese government has been conveying a clear message to reduce energy spending for some time now,” said Peter J. Kalas, head of official delegation of the Czech Republic which is on the Rotating EU presidency (January to June, 2009), the Czech Republic Prime Minister's advisor, former Minister of Ministry of Environment of the Czech Republic, when he spoke with the Macau Daily Times.

After the official opening of the officials from the national development and reform commission, the state environmental protection department and the Czech Republic government spoke on specific topics about policy, results and prospects of environmental protection industry and energy-saving and emission reduction in China and the European Union.

“During my presentation I tried to convey two messages. The first is that there is a very close relationship between saving energy and environment in particularly the climate change

second is the environment and energy provides a huge business opportunity for our industries, local and foreign,” he said.

He also said he believes the combined increasing views on energy and the emissions need to be addressed very dramatically meaning implement a change in our actions through technologies or society.

In his conference he mentioned the five years program to reduce Gross domestic Product (GDP) by 20 percent and emphasised that the important issue lies in the economic goal of energy reduction as well the environmental impact in China's energy consumption and imports.
The strategic factor for the Chinese government and it seams the provinces start sharing this to combining energy issues with environmental issues according to the head of official delegation of the Czech Republic.

“I think we need to see the energy changes now because in 2013 it will be by 75 percent concentrated and demand from China will increase. For that China is absolutely the most important partner for the rest of the planet”, he explained.

For the European Union China is one of the most important partners and it includes several partnerships could be several areas like dialogue in policy framer

“The main objective is to propose a reliable and sustainable energy supply which addresses also the environment,” he added.

Meanwhile, Han Yongwen, secretary-general of national development and reform commission, said that while China is resolute to cope with the international financial crisis and maintains steady economic growth, the government attaches great importance to the development of a recycling economy, and will take further steps this year to promote the development of recycling economy.

Han also pointed out the recycling economy, energy-saving and emission reduction are closely related, with the joint efforts at all levels throughout the country.

In recent years, the work of energy-saving and emission reduction and environmental protection has achieved significant progress, he said.

Friday, 03 April 2009
Macau Daily Times