Chinese firms to report on environment impact

China said it will require listed firms in polluting industries to publish environmental impact reports annually as the government steps up efforts to hit an energy efficiency target.

The requirement will apply to 16 industries including thermal power, steel, cement, coal and mining, the Ministry of Environmental Protection said in a statement posted on its website Tuesday.

Listed companies in these sectors will also be required to disclose details of environmental accidents within a day.

Earlier this year, China's top gold producer Zijin Mining Group failed to report for more than a week a toxic spill from a mine it operated.

A top official pledged Tuesday that China would do all it could to meet its target of cutting energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product by 20 percent from 2006 to 2010.

"In order to fulfill this goal we will exhaust all effective means," said Zhang Xiaoqiang, a senior economic planning official, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

However, he added China would struggle to hit the target.

As the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitter, China has insisted energy efficiency is necessary to reduce pollution and clean up its environment.

Missing the goal could result in red faces for top leaders who have trumpeted efforts to curb emissions growth and develop renewable energy.

China will next month host the final United Nations climate change meeting before full global UN talks on the issue in December in Mexico.

Last month the Chinese government ordered more than 2,000 firms in high-polluting and energy-intensive industries to shut down outdated plants in its latest efforts to cut pollution and restructure the economy. AFP