China is considering the use of environmental indices to evaluate local governments and officials, as the country seeks to go green. The new assessment criteria is being proposed in a draft of China's 12th Five-year Plan, which begins in 2011.

The draft is expected to be approved in March 2011 by the nation's top legislature - the National People's Congress. This means local governments will have to implement more effective measures to upgrade industries, save energy and cut emissions, rather than simply focus on GDP growth.