China looks toward greener energy future

BEIJING, April 21 (UPI) -- Chinese Premier Li Kegiang said it was time for policymakers to "wage a war" against pollution by embracing greener energy policies.

Li told members of the National Energy Commission the government needed to develop a low-carbon economy to keep climate issues in check.

"China will wage a war against smog weather and step up ecological protection measures by further saving energy and cutting emissions," he said in a statement Sunday.

China, with its expanding economy, is the world leader in terms of energy consumption. Li said the Chinese economy needs everything from nuclear power, to wind and solar energy, to move forward responsibly.

"These energy projects can ensure stable economic growth and increase China's capability to safeguard energy security," he said.

Chinese officials in February worried the amount of smog blanketing major metropolitan areas like Beijing meant the country's agricultural future may be at risk. A report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, meanwhile, warned the use of fossil fuels was pushing the global environmental to the brink of disaster.

[Xinhua]