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China’s Economic Wonder and its Impact on Resource Consumption


Magnus Gislev
First Secretary (Environment)
European Commission Delegation in Beijing
5 June 2008

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• The country’s latest five‐year plan (2006–10) calls for energy savings of 50% for new buildings nationwide and up to 65% for buildings in 4 large municipalities (Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Chongqing)
• The first energy‐saving law detailing building energy efficiency criteria took effect on April 1 2008. The central government plans to spend 1 billion yuan (€100 million) to promote these criteria nationwide during 2008
• “My biggest concern right now is figuring out how to improve energy‐ saving awareness among residents, who care only about price and location


• China is now the world's second largest auto market after the United States
• Number of privately owned motor vehicles rose 18.8% year‐on‐year to 22 million in China in
2006
• Expectation for vehicle demand in China to grow to 9.2 million units in 2008, a 14% increase over 2007 (8.1 million units)
• China's vehicle market will continue to grow : By 2015, annual light vehicle sales are expected to 17.3 million unit