Sustainable energy development in the Chinese countryside, 78 (4), 2005, pp 196 - 198

China has a population of 1.2 billion, 80% of which are living in rural areas. Energy supply and use in the countryside is a typical problem in rural China. Rural energy development is related to the upgrading of people’s living standards, the improvement of the ecological environment and the sustainable development of the rural economy. The history of the sustainable development of energy in the Chinese countryside is reviewed and the major issues surrounding the sustainable development of energy over different periods are discussed. The challenges facing China, measures to deal with them and some fundamental information on the topic are presented.