ABSTRACT
The limited supply of traditional fossil fuels and the associated consumption limitations needed for dealing with global climate change have considerably restricted economic development in recent years. This has raised the concern of energy analysts and policy makers regarding the adverse effects of energy overuse. A series of policy measures aimed at reducing energy consumption have been implemented in order to meet the compulsory targets stated in the China government’s Eleventh Five-Year Plan (2006-2010). Agriculture development in China is not an exception. Calculated at constant prices, the average elasticity of energy consumption in agriculture declined from 2.33 (2001-2005) to 0.29 (2006-2010). The rapid growth of energy consumption in agriculture was thus restrained without negatively affecting economic development.
