Development of an energy conservation voluntary agreement pilot project in the steel sector in Shandong

摘要: China faces a significant challenge in the years ahead to continue provide essential materials and products for rapidly-growing economy while addressing pressing environmental concerns. Energy is fundamental element of national conditions its use have direct impact on China's ability reach sustainable development goals. industrial sector, which accounts over 70 percent nation's total energy consumption each year, provides such as steel cement that build roads, bridges, homes, offices other buildings. Industrial include bicycles, cars, buses, trains, ships, office equipment, appliances, furniture, packaging, pharmaceuticals, many components everyday life an increasingly modern society. This vital production products, however, comes with considerable problems. sector heavily dependent country's abundant, yet polluting, coal resources. locally pollutes air emissions particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, uses scarce water oil resources, emits greenhouse gases contributing warming global atmosphere, often produces hazardous polluting wastes. Fostering innovative approaches reduce resources diminish pollution from aremore » tailored emerging market-based one most important challenges facing nation today. The pressures rapid growth, continued degradation, increased competition create situation calls strategically-planned evolution industries into world-class facilities are competitive, energy-efficient less polluting. Such transition requires complete commitment enterprises government work together transform China. Internationally, transformation has been realized number countries using policy mechanism called Voluntary Agreements. Agreements essentially contract between industry, or negotiated targets commitments time schedules part all participating parties. These agreements typically long-term outlook, covering period five ten years, so strategic energy-efficiency investments can be planned implemented. A key they focus attention actors efficiency emission reduction shown result efficiency, more successful programs even doubling autonomous improvement rates. In addition, longer-term impacts including changes attitudes awareness manage rial technical staff regarding barriers technology adoption innovation, creating market establish greater potential investments, promoting positive dynamic interactions different involved research development, deployment, facilitating cooperative arrangements learning mechanisms within industry. steps reaching Agreement assessment participants well target-setting through process. Participation by motivated carrots sticks, refers incentives disincentives. Supporting policies (the carrots), enterprise audits, assessments, benchmarking, monitoring, information dissemination, financial play role assisting meeting target Some based some regulations taxes participants. Overall, international experience shows effective means motivate industry improve related emissions, if implemented comprehensive transparent framework.« less