World bank energy projects in China: influences on environmental protection

A study of the World Bank's energy-related project portfolio in China reveals several areas where World Bank assistance has clearly influenced broader trends in energy and environmental protection in China. This paper reviews the World Bank's 36 energy-related projects approved from 1984 to 1999 in the context of these broader trends. Projects helped accelerate development of large-scale efficient coal power plants, hydropower. state-of-the-art technologies for controlling power-plant emissions, and international-best-practice environmental assessments of energy projects. The World Bank has just begun to fund several promising initiatives for energy efficiency and renewable energy. At the same time, some opportunities for the Chinese government and the World Bank to jointly promote environmentally sounder energy development are only just now being addressed, such as natural gas distribution and utilization, rural energy and development, wind power, energy efficiency of heat supply and buildings, energy efficiency in industry through performance contracting, and greater support for clean energy options within ongoing electric power sector reform. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.