Eastern China's Jiangsu province called for stepped-up energy-saving and carbon-reduction efforts in key industries at a provincial symposium held in Suqian on September 15.

The meeting, jointly convened by the Jiangsu Department of Industry and Information Technology and the provincial Development and Reform Commission, identified energy saving and carbon reduction as central to ecological progress, green economic transition and the push toward peak carbon and carbon neutrality.

Officials said Jiangsu generally met its target for reducing energy consumption per unit of GDP during the 14th "Five-Year Plan" period, but warned the province still faces a severe situation during the 15th "Five-Year Plan" period, describing the work as being at a critical stage.

The province will anchor its efforts to the dual carbon control assessment targets of the 15th "Five-Year Plan", setting timetables, roadmaps and responsible officials for each indicator, and tightening oversight of energy saving and carbon reduction, according to the meeting.

Jiangsu will strictly control the launch of projects in high-energy-consumption and high-emission sectors and carry out tiered evaluations of energy-saving target responsibilities for major energy-using entities.

The meeting also urged faster upgrades in eight key industries — steel, cement, flat glass, oil refining, ethylene, synthetic ammonia, methanol and coal-fired power — with increased support and services to improve corporate energy efficiency.

The province will boost non-fossil energy development, including wind, solar and biomass power, and push energy-intensive enterprises to raise the share of green electricity in their consumption.