Energy Consumption, Resource Utilization and Environmental Protection in Beijing - Practice and Challenges

Abstract

Due to alteration and degradation of the environment, governments and citizens of Beijing are gradually embracing the concept of sustainable development. The theory of circular economy is regarded as an important way to build a resource-saving and environment-friendly society, so it becomes emphasized by the government. This paper presents an overview of the current situation of the circular economy in Beijing, provides a brief discussion on the future challenges and makes a number of feasible suggestions. In the period of "The Eleventh Five-Year Plan", Beijing attaches great importance to the work of developing circular economy. It achieved a remarkable improvement in key indicators such as energy and water consumption, pollution emission, efficiency of resources utilization and ecological indicators. Industrial structure, energy consumption structure and resource utilization are optimized to some extent, and related support system of circular economy is initially established. There are still some challenges cannot be ignored, the shortcomings and the lack of technologies, recycling systems, laws, regulations and policies and social awareness and participation are regarded to be the major challenges in the future. Targeting the status and challenge of the development of circular economy in Beijing, and some suggestions are recommended.