Shanghai Daily news

While Shanghai's GDP should continue to grow by double digits this year, the government must do more to build an environmentally efficient economy, Mayor Han Zheng said yesterday during the opening of the annual plenary meeting of the Shanghai People's Congress.
Han said he expects the city's GDP to grow by about 11 percent this year, but set energy consumption goals to ensure growth is sustainable. He said total energy consumption per 10,000 yuan (US$1,204) of GDP should be less than 1.02 tons of standard coal.
Over the past two years, the city used about 1.07 tons of coal per 10,000 yuan of GDP on average. Nationwide, 2.06 tons of coal was used per 10,000 yuan of economic activity.
"This year is the last year of the 10th Five-Year-Plan period and an important one for moving forward with preparations for the World Expo," the mayor told more than 800 SPC deputies at the Shanghai Exhibition Center yesterday.
His 30-page report outlined the city's performance last year and gave a general picture of what the government hopes to achieve this year.
"The city government will actively promote economic ecological efficiency and resource conservation," Han said, noting Shanghai will strive to set the standard in China for efficient use of power and natural resources.
He said the government will create plans this year for energy and water conservation and for the integrated utilization of key resources, putting a premium on the sustainable use of land, water, energy and other important raw materials.
The government will also push forward with policies, regulations and standards to encourage energy efficiency and the integrated use of resources.
The mayor also highlighted the importance of adjusting industrial policies, such as requiring manufacturers to use more clean energy like natural gas.
"We will advocate clean production and explore new and more effective methods to increase resource productivity," he said.
Han said the city should invest at least 3 percent of its GDP in environmental protection.
The city's GDP grew by 13.5 percent last year to reach 744 billion yuan.
"We will intensify pollution control and environmental rehabilitation efforts so as to improve the overall quality of Shanghai's environment," Han said.
He said the government will improve integrated planning, land control and ecological conservation on Chongming Island and give greater policy support to help it become an ecological island.
He noted the necessity of advancing several key scientific research projects to improve the local environment, including the development of new power and liquefied natural gas projects.
The mayor ran down a list of 10 major tasks for the year, including economic growth, improving social security, cutting unemployment and education reform.
The mayor also spent time discussing preparations for the World Expo 2010. He said the city will complete the registration procedures for the event and finish up Expo-related site plans by the end of this year.
It will also continue with site preparations, such as the relocation of people living on future Expo sites.
The mayor also underlined the importance of controlling the rapid construction of high-rise buildings and protecting the healthy development of the local real estate market.
Also yesterday, Jiang Yingshi, head of the Shanghai Development and Reforms Commission, announced the commission's detailed targets for this year.
It expects the value of the city's service industry to grow by 11 percent this year, exports to grow by 15 percent, the registered urban unemployment rate to stay around 4.5 percent and per capita disposable income to grow by 10 percent in urban areas and 8 percent in rural parts of the city.
The delegates will be divided into groups to review the government reports and to make suggestions about the city's development until the session closes on Saturday.