Energy conservation and emission reduction do not allow fraud”

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"Some provinces also include small units that were already shut down in order to meet the quotas. ”**The news revealed by Zhao Xiaoping, director of the Energy Bureau of the National Development and Reform Commission, at the meeting on phasing out small-scale power plants in the southern region held in Guiyang is concerning. 　　It is estimated that to generate the same amount of electricity, China’s existing small thermal power units consume 30% to 50% more coal than larger units, resulting in an increased emission of pollutants. Shutting down small thermal power units as planned is one of the key measures for energy conservation and emission reduction determined by the central government. Why do some places fail to shut down small thermal power plants in accordance with the established procedures, and even resort to fraud to get by? It’s nothing more than calculating petty local interests, being concerned with gains and losses, and being overly focused on local financial gains, at the expense of the overall goals related to energy conservation and emission reduction. The leaders in these places suffer from a \"short-sightedness\" that focuses only on immediate interests, lacking a long-term perspective for scientific development. 　　In fact, when it comes to implementing energy conservation and emission reduction measures, not only are some areas slow to act and hesitant regarding the closure of small-scale thermal power plants, but in other areas, there is a tendency to show leniency toward those energy-intensive and polluting enterprises that should be shut down according to policy, with an inclination to protect them and cover up their issues, rather than having the determination to close them down. The Huai River basin has invested heavily in pollution control, yet the amount of waste discharged by enterprises along the river has increased instead of decreased. Could this not be related to the protection afforded by certain areas along the river to polluting enterprises? Yunnan has spent over 4 billion yuan to address the pollution of Dianchi Lake, yet with little effect; so how severe are the penalties imposed on the polluting enterprises? If every region engages in such selfish tactics, even resorting to falsifying records to cover up things, how much blue sky and clean water can the republic still retain? When can energy conservation and emission reduction be achieved? 　　Of course, the fact that some places dare to engage in fraud regarding energy conservation and emission reduction also indicates that the supervision and management systems for implementing these tasks still need to be improved. Only by punishing those who commit fraud can no one dare to take risks.