By Fu Jing and Li Jing (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-03-17 15:46

China has moved forward in overhauling environment and energy governance at this annual session of national legislative body, which ends on March 18.

Once again it takes "trace-the-stones-to-cross-the-river" approach. A governance structure tailed to China's market-oriented economic system will not be put in place until 2020, the official schedule for the country to become a market economy.

About 3,000 National People's Congress deputies have generally voted to elevate the State Environmental Protection Administration to a Cabinet super ministry, which would consolidate anti-pollution efforts currently handled by different departments.

Meanwhile, a high-level national commission in charge of energy security polices and strategies will also be set up. And a National Energy Bureau, which is still in the hands of the powerful economic planner National Development and Reform Commission, will be established to take responsibility of major energy project planning and approval.

A source familiar with the reshuffle said the bureau would also be authorized by the central government to implement and supervise energy efficiency, which has already become a "political mission" for the governments of various levels due to the shortages ahead of China's further economic expansion.

Environment, energy, economy and efficiency have long vexed China's highest leadership. Along with a galloping three-decade economic expansion, energy shortages and environmental degradation have already become top challenges the Chinese government must face.

Governance inefficiency has become an obstacle, which has already seen the leadership ease off on the challenges because some of their decisions "cannot walk away from Zhongnanhai", the Beijing compound where the State leaders work and live.

To change the situation, the leadership decided to streamline the divided authorities at the central government level first.

For example, the new Ministry of Environmental Protection is expected to assume the responsibilities of water pollution management, which is currently overseen by several ministries such as water resources, construction and oceanic pollution.

What should be the next steps?

Most of all, supervision independence is the key. As the central government has already placed energy efficiency and emission controls high on their agenda, a powerful and independent army of performance supervision and assessment should be set up.

And financially, the central government should support them and this can help them cut economic ties with local governments, with which the supervision teams are currently affiliated.

Solving the environmental and energy woes is also related to accurate statistics and the independence of the statisticians.

The statistics, which have long decided the futures of various-level officials, have mainly focused on economic data and now the central government has additionally readjusted them to assess their "green" performances.

However, there are two problems. First, some pollution sources are still not recognized by the statistics agencies. And most importantly, all the statistics bureaus are still directly affiliated with the governments at the same level. Concerned observers worry about corrupt officials adjusting the statistics to falsely paint a picture of their efforts to curb pollution and improve energy efficiency.

So the central government should try every possible means to help achieve the independence of statistics bureaus. But this time, the leadership has missed the opportunity despite the five new super ministries.

And thirdly, the role of the government itself needs further reform. After three-decades of reform, as a senior policy insider pointed out earlier, it's high time the government reforms itself to become service-oriented and people-first. Instead of being busy with economic and business activities, the government, especially those at provincial and local levels should focus on improved social management.

But some governmental officials have become used to their "economic missions" and it is hard for them to quit.

All the reforms are not easy, but to save energy for future generations and to hand down a livable environment, we are calling more quick and efficient actions.