China had set 2006 goals of reducing energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) by four percent and cutting emissions of pollutants by two percent, but both goals were missed, the China Daily reported.

The National Development Reform Commission, China's planning agency, has not revealed the extent to which the goals were missed, the paper said.

But energy consumption actually increased by 0.8 percent per unit of GDP during the first half of the year, while emissions of several key pollutants also grew during the period, it said.

"From a nationwide perspective, it is certain that last year's energy-consumption reduction goal could not be achieved," the paper cited Han Wenke, director of the government's Energy Research Institute, as saying.

According to the report, only Beijing and five other provinces or municipalities fulfilled their energy efficiency and pollution emission goals.

In a November report, the State Environmental Protection Agency said China produced more than 12 billion tons of industrial waste-water in the first half of 2006, up 2.4 percent from the previous year.

A major index of water pollution called the chemical oxygen demand (COD) increased by 3.7 percent in the first six months, the report said.

Emissions of the air pollutant sulfur dioxide rose 4.2 percent, according to the report.

The watchdog also said half the country's rivers and more than 70 percent of rivers and lakes were polluted, while underground water supplies in 90 percent of Chinese cities were contaminated.

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