China made progress in energy efficiency and clean energy in 2016. Energy use per unit of GDP fell 5 percent in 2016, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), a good start to reducing the figure by at least 15 percent by 2020.

Clean energy, including hydropower, wind power and natural gas, accounted for 19.5 percent of China's total energy consumption last year, up from 17.9 percent in 2015.

Coal accounted for 64 percent of total consumption in 2015, with the proportion to be cut to 58 percent or less by the end of 2020.

The push for efficient, clean energy is partly a response to environmental degradation.