Realistic green target

The 3.5-percent cut in energy intensity that China announced for 2011 may look less ambitious than the average 4-percent annual cut that the country has tried to achieve over the previous five years.

However, such a nominally lower target in reducing energy use per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) does not mean the task will be any easier.

In fact, China has little low-hanging fruit left to pick as it can no longer reap easy energy efficiency gains from shutting down outdated power plants or energy-guzzling factories.