Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Legal Challenges of Legislation and Policies Relating to Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency in China

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
China's Energy Efficiency and Conservation

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Environment, Security, Development and Peace ((BRIEFSSECUR,volume 31))

Abstract

China’s basic legislation and policy framework on energy conservation and energy efficiency consists of four basic slip laws, scores of administrative rules and regulations, and several basic national plans. This framework is the foundation of energy conservation. The basic systems included in China’s legislation and policies are: the energy conservation target responsibility and evaluation system, energy conservation of key energy-consuming entities, the energy conservation standards system and the energy efficiency label system. These play important roles in energy conservation and energy efficiency improvement. Though China has made some progress, there remain three obstacles. First, the energy law system is not sound and the administrative management system is unreasonable. Second, the various differences in legislation pertaining to energy conservation and climate change make them difficult to integrate. Third, there exist many challenges in the enforcement of energy conservation and energy efficiency systems, issues that need to be solved so as to achieve the goal of energy conservation and energy efficiency improvement.

Dr. Haifeng Deng, Associate Professor, School of Law, Tsinghua University, China; Email: denghaifeng@126.com.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. 1.

    For example, “the development of industrial economy in Western countries is closely related with oil. From the beginning of [the] 1950s, their economy were booming. The United States achieved a 4.3 % increase; Italia increased by 7.6 %; France increased by 9.1 %. An important reason of it is the consumption of cheap oil in quantity” (Economic Growth and Petroleum Security 2013).

  2. 2.

    Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress [全国人大常委会], adopted on 28 December 1995, revised on 27 August 2009.

  3. 3.

    Standing Committee of National People’s Congress, adopted on 29 August 1996, revised on 29 June 2013.

  4. 4.

    Standing Committee of National People’s Congress, adopted on 1 November 1997, revised on 28 October 2007.

  5. 5.

    Standing Committee of National People’s Congress, adopted on 28 February 2005, revised on 26 December 2009.

  6. 6.

    Article 2, Energy Conservation Law.

  7. 7.

    The 10th National People’s Congress [第十届全国人大], was adopted on 14 March 2006. The plan is made every five years, and the Eleventh Five-Year Plan was for 2006–10.

  8. 8.

    In 2011, the percentage of coal and petroleum in total energy consumption was 72 % and 19.5, and that of natural gas was 5.2 % (Department of Energy Statistics of National Bureau of Statistics, 2012, p. 52).

  9. 9.

    See Article 24, Electric Power Law.

  10. 10.

    For instance, the Eleventh Five-Year Plan was earlier than the Energy Conservation Law to provide the energy conservation target responsibility system.

  11. 11.

    The 11th National People’s Congress [第十一届全国人大], adopted on 14 March 2011.

  12. 12.

    See the Eleventh and Twelfth Five-Year Plan.

  13. 13.

    See Chap. 2, Part I, the Twelfth Five-Year Plan.

  14. 14.

    Energy conservation and energy efficiency is mentioned several times in Part VI: Positive Response to Global Climate Change.

  15. 15.

    National Development and Reform Commission [国家发展和改革委员会], issued in 2007.

  16. 16.

    The State Council [国务院], issued on 1 January 2013.

  17. 17.

    See Chap. 6, the Eleventh Plan for Energy Development.

  18. 18.

    Energy intensity refers to the ratio of total energy consumption to gross domestic product in a country, or the energy consumption per unit of GDP output.

  19. 19.

    See Sect. 2, Chap. 2, the Twelfth Plan for Energy Development.

  20. 20.

    The State Council, issued on 6 August 2012.

  21. 21.

    The State Council, issued on 7 June 2014.

  22. 22.

    The energy conservation target responsibility and evaluation system only refers to one that is aimed at local governments and officials in charge.

  23. 23.

    Section 6, Chap. 22, Part VI.

  24. 24.

    The State Council, issued on 6 August = 2006.

  25. 25.

    The State Council, issued on 23 May 2007.

  26. 26.

    Article 6: “The State implements the energy conservation target responsibility system and the energy conservation examination system”.

  27. 27.

    See the State Council (17 September 2006). Approval on the Plan of Reduction Index of Energy Consumption Per Unit of GDP in All Regions in the Eleventh Five-Year Period (abbr. Reduction Index in Eleventh Five-Year) [国务院关于 “十一” 期间各地区单位生产总值能源消耗降低指标计划的批复].

  28. 28.

    See National Development and Reform Commission (17 November 2007). Implementation Plan on the Evaluation System of Energy Consumption Per Unit of GDP [单位GDP能耗考核体系实施方案].

  29. 29.

    See Work Plan in Twelfth Five-Year.

  30. 30.

    See Article 52, Energy Conservation Law.

  31. 31.

    See Article 53, Energy Conservation Law.

  32. 32.

    See Article 55, Energy Conservation Law.

  33. 33.

    See National Development and Reform Commission [国家发展和改革委员会] (7 April 2006). Notice of issuing the 1,000 Enterprises Energy Conservation Program Implementation Plan (abbr. 1,000 Enterprises Implementation Plan) [关于印发千家企业节能行动实施方案的通知].

  34. 34.

    The nine sectors are iron and steel, nonferrous metals, coal mining, electric power generation, petroleum and petrochemicals, chemicals, construction materials, textiles and paper making. See 1,000 Enterprises Implementation Plan.

  35. 35.

    Specifically, it refers to entities that have annual energy consumption of more than 10,000 tons of standard coal, and entities designated by relevant department that have annual energy consumption of more than 5,000 tons of standard coal. See National Development and Reform Commission (7 December 2011). Notice of issuing the 10,000 Enterprises Energy Conservation and Low Carbon Program Implementation Plan [关于印发万家企业节能低碳行动实施方案的通知].

  36. 36.

    The number fell from 1,008 to 881 because of merger, bankruptcy or suspension.

  37. 37.

    See National Development and Reform Commission (2 December 2011). No. 31 Announcement in 2011.

  38. 38.

    According to National Development and Reform Commission No. 31 Announcement in 2011, the amount is 165 million tons of standard coal.

  39. 39.

    See Articled 13(2) and (3), Energy Conservation Law.

  40. 40.

    See Article 13(1), Energy Conservation Law.

  41. 41.

    See Article 16(2), Energy Conservation Law.

  42. 42.

    National Development and Reform Commission, General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (13 August 2004). Measures for the Administration of Energy Efficiency Labels [能源效率标识管理办法].

  43. 43.

    See National Development and Reform Commission, General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, Certification and Accreditation Administration [国家认证认可监督管理委员会] (29 November 2004). Notice No. 71 of 2004: Attachment 1.

  44. 44.

    Article 18, Energy Conservation Law.

  45. 45.

    Article 9, Measures for the Administration of Energy Efficiency Labels.

  46. 46.

    Article 19(1), Energy Conservation Law.

  47. 47.

    The tenth catalogue was published by the National Development and Reform Commission, General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine and Certification and Accreditation Administration in Notice No. 39 of 2012 on 14 November 2012.

  48. 48.

    See General Office of the State Council [国务院办公厅] (9 June 2013). Notice of Issuing the Regulation on the Main Functions, Internal Institutions and Staffing of the National Energy Administration [关于印发国家能源局主要职责内设机构和人员编制规定的通知].

  49. 49.

    It is provided that the electric power administrative department, coal administrative department, energy conservation administrative department and energy administrative department under the State Council are respectively responsible for supervision and control of the electric power industry, coal industry, energy conservation and renewable energy. See Article 6 of Electric Power Law, Article 12 of Coal Law, Article 10 of Energy Conservation Law and Article 6 of Renewable Energy Law.

  50. 50.

    In 2012, the per capita GDP of Tianjin was 93173 RMB, the per capita GDP of Beijing was 87454 RMB and that of Shanghai was 85373 RMB. In the meantime, the per capita GDP of Guizhou and Gansu was only 19710 RMB and 21978 RMB (National Bureau of Statistics 2013).

  51. 51.

    Another six provinces are Inner Mongolia, Liaoning, Jiangsu, Fujian, Jiangxi and Guangdong. See National Development and Reform Commission (18 December 2012). Notice No. 51 of 2012.

  52. 52.

    See Article 66(2), Energy Conservation Law.

  53. 53.

    The Organization Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, issued on 6 December 2013.

  54. 54.

    6 February 2012. http://www.gov.cn/test/2012-02/06/content_2059314.htm [accessed 5 December 2013].

References

  • An, J. [安建] (2007) Paraphrase of Energy Conservation Law of the People’s Republic of China (Beijing: Law Press China [法律出版社]).

    Google Scholar 

  • BP (2014). Statistical Review of World Energy, June. http://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp-country/de_de/PDFs/brochures/BP-statistical-review-of-worldenergy-2014-full-report.pdf [accessed 27 May 2015].

  • China.com.cn (2007) Economic Growth and Petroleum Security [经济增长与石油安全], 25 May). http://www.china.com.cn/economic/zhuanti/2007nyfz/2007-05/24/content_8302552.htm [accessed 26 May 2015].

  • Deng, H.F. [邓海峰] and M. Zhao [赵明] (2011) “The Mode of Energy Legislation and the Choice of Core Systems” [能源立法模式与核心制度选择]. Journal of Political Science and Law [政法论丛] 2: 29–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gangs, S. [耿爽] (2012) China Energy Law Study Report [中国能源法研究报告]. Shanghai: Lixin Accounting Publishing House [立信会计出版社], pp. 428–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Information Office of the State Council [国务院新闻办公室] (2012) White Paper on China’s Energy Policy 2012 [中国的能源政策(2012)白皮书], 24 October.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Finance of the PRC (2011) “Energy-Saving Products Benefit Project” “Made Significant Achievements [“节能产品惠民工程”取得明显成效], 9 October.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mo, S.X. [莫神星] (2008) Research on Law and Policy about Energy Conservation and Emission Reduction Mechanism [节能减排机制法律政策研究]. Beijing: China Modern Economic Publishing House [中国时代经济出版社].

    Google Scholar 

  • National Bureau of Statistics (2013) Statistical Yearbook of China [中国统计年鉴]. http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjsj/ndsj/2013/indexch.htm [accessed 26 May 2015].

  • NDRC (National Development and Reform Commission of the PRC) (2009) “Energy-Saving Products Benefit Project” Officially Started [“节能产品惠民工程”正式启动], 21 May. http://zys.ndrc.gov.cn/xwfb/t20090521_280640.htm [accessed 5 March 2015].

  • NDRC (National Development and Reform Commission of the PRC) (2011) “Energy-Saving Products Benefit Project” Made Significant Achievements [“节能产品惠民工程”取得明显成效], 9 October. http://jjs.mof.gov.cn/zhengwuxinxi/diaochayanjiu/201307/t20130711_960347.html [accessed 22 July 2015].

  • NDRC; Standardization Administration of China (2012) National Development and Reform Commission, Standardization Administration of China Started “100 Energy Efficiency Standards Project” [发展改革委、国标委启动实施“百项能效标准推进工程”], 21 June. http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/18264807.html [accessed 22 July 2015].

  • Policy Research Office of NDRC (2011) Top 1,000 Enterprises Exceedingly fulfilled the “Eleven Five-Year” Energy Conservation Target [千家企业超额完成“十一五”节能任务]. http://www.chinanews.com/ny/2011/09-30/3366085.shtml [accessed 22 July 2015].

  • Sang, X.Q. [桑雪骐] (2013) “Energy Efficiency Label is in Doubt” [消费者对能效标识半信半疑]. CCN.com, 5 June. http://www.ccn.com.cn/news/yaowen/2013/0605/494286.html [accessed 22 July 2015].

  • Standardized Administration of the PRC (2013) “100 Energy Efficiency Standards Project” Obtained the Phased Objective [“百项能效标准推进工程” 取得阶段性成果], 21 February. http://finance.people.com.cn/n/2013/0221/c1004-20558459.html [accessed 22 July 2015].

  • Sun, Y.X. [孙永祥] (2013) “China Ranks 74th in the List of World Energy Use Efficiency” [世界能源使用效率排名中国仅居第74位]. China Economic Herald [中国经济导报], 5 January, p. B02.

    Google Scholar 

  • Xiao, G.X. [肖国兴] (2012) “The Confusion and Settlements in System Design of Energy Law” [能源法制度设计的困惑与出路]. Law Science [法学] 8: 3–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Xiao, Q.G. [肖乾刚] and G.X. Xiao [肖国兴] (1996) Energy Law [能源法]. Beijing: Law Press China [法律出版社].

    Google Scholar 

  • Xinhuanet (2014) National Bureau of Statistics: China’s GDP Accounted for 12.3 % of the Global GDP in 2013 [国家统计局:2013年我国经济总量占世界12.3 %], 28 September. http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2014-09/28/c_1112666489.htm [accessed 10 March 2015].

  • Ye, R.S. [叶荣泗] (2007) “Give Priority to Energy Conservation and the Follow-Up of Energy Laws” [节能优先与能源法律之跟进]. Shanghai Energy Conservation [上海节能] 4: 4–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ye, R.S. (2008) “Legal Protection of Energy Security in China” [我国能源安全的法律保障]. China Development Observation [中国发展观察] 1: 4–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, Z.T. [张梓太] (2010) “The Primary Research on the Framework of Climate Change Response Law of China” [中国气候变化应对法框架体系初探]. Journal of Nanjing University (Philosophy, Humanities and Social Sciences) [南京大学学报(哲学·人文科学·社会科学)] 5: 37–43.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Law, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

    Haifeng Deng

Authors
  1. Haifeng Deng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Haifeng Deng .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Energy Studies Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    Bin Su

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Deng, H. (2016). The Legal Challenges of Legislation and Policies Relating to Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency in China. In: Su, B., Thomson, E. (eds) China's Energy Efficiency and Conservation. SpringerBriefs in Environment, Security, Development and Peace, vol 31. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0928-0_6

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation