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Environmentally friendly, China learns lessons from global crisis

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-12-12 20:11

As the global financial crisis strains China's economy, slowed growth has taught the government a good lesson about environmentally-friendly practices.

China's rise in the past decade to become the world's fourth largest economy relied on high input, high energy consumption and high capital accumulation, resulting in negative effects on its sustainable and stable growth.

Special coverage: Coping with Financial Crisis Related readings:  China's environmental protection crucial to the world  China, US should cooperate on energy, environment, food safety  China earmarks $73m for rural environment protection  Energy-saving electric industry not much affected

"The global financial crisis has exposed the problems rooted in the country's economic growth," said Li Shengping, head of the development and reform bureau in Luoyang City of central Henan province.

Companies that were heavy polluters are more vulnerable to the crisis while those with advanced environmentally-friendly technologies have become more competitive, according to Li.

In Changzhi city of west China's Shanxi province, 160 companies have shut down since October because of higher overhead and product price decrease. All of these companies were engaged in high energy-consumption and high-pollution, including industries such as steel and calcium carbide manufacturing.

The companies, if not already closed by a nationwide campaign to eliminate outmoded business practices, will eventually be pulled out of the market for lack of competitiveness, industry analysts said.

Conversely, the Maanshan Iron and Steel Co was noted for its strong resistance against the cold snap of financial crisis.

The company introduced a production line for train wheel last month, which became big news when most steel mills were cutting production.

The boom was a result of huge investments in energy-saving projects that helped cut costs, said general manager Su Jiangang.

Through waste-heat recovery, the company can generate 100 million kilowatt hours annually, or 60 percent of the demand. This saves the company 40 million yuan ($5.81 million) each year. The use of an advanced energy-control system would cut more than 100 million yuan from the company's annual budget.

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