Energy and environment

The use of energy is a major cause of environmental problems. Before the mid-1990s, environmental policy and energy policy were largely two separate issues in China. The Sixth Five-Year Plan was the first to mention environmental protection. The Seventh Five-Year Plan established a quantitative goal, which was to bringing about 50" to 70" of industrial pollutions to be in compliance with national standards. The Ninth Five-Year Plan was the first to tie environmental policy to energy policy to reduce acid rains and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emissions. The 10th Five-Year Plan added two high-profile energy and environmental targets: 15"–17" reduction of energy intensity per Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and 10" reduction of major pollutants. The Chinese government started to prioritize environmental protection over economic growth, or at least nominally. The 13th Five-Year Plan will continue to reduce energy and CO₂ intensity, and increase the shares of non-fossil energy in primary energy mix.