Plenum push towards 'greener' economy faces challenges

The Communist Party has vowed to seek a more balanced model of development by shifting local governments' focus away from breakneck economic growth, according to the resolution from a key party meeting last week.

But some experts said the leadership faced daunting challenges in carrying out the pledges.

In a bid to contain local governments' aggressive pursuit of economic growth, the party said it would introduce a stricter assessment of local authorities' "green" performance, vowing to give more weight to resource efficiency and environmental protection.

Cadres may be subject to an audit of local natural resources, a move aimed at uncovering any severe environmental damage on their watch. They may also be held responsible for their stewardship of the ecosystem while in previous posts.

The plenum resolution listed "environmental protection" for the first time among the government's five top responsibilities, behind macroeconomic management, job creation, market supervision and social management, according to National School of Administration Professor Zhang Zhanbin.

The central government pledged to draw an "ecological red line" to limit exploitation of natural resources. And poorer counties in ecologically fragile areas will no longer be required to meet their growth targets.

Dr Xia Guang, director of the Policy Research Centre for Environment and Economy under the Ministry of Environmental Protection, wrote in the People's Daily that "red lines" would not only refer to geological areas that were off-limits to exploitation, but also better control the use of natural resources and emissions of pollutants, including greenhouse gases.