Any Chinese official or enterprise leader who fails in the work of energy conservation and emission reduction will face scrutiny by a strict "one ballot veto", an environmental official said on Thursday.

"Failure or success in achieving environmental targets has become an important assessment of local government performance," said Zhang Lijun, vice director of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), at a press conference on energy conservation.

He said it would be implemented throughout the country and was a "unified requirement" of the Party and State Council.

Xie Zhenhua, deputy commissioner of the State Development and Restructuring Commission, said at the press conference that officials who failed to meet targets would have to make a public explanation and also undergo public supervision.

"As long as emission reduction targets are not met or effective measures are not taken in time, officials concerned will have a fail on their evaluation sheet."

Failing government officials and enterprise leaders would not be entitled to any honorary titles that year. In addition, high-pollution and high consumption projects to be set up in the region would be suspended, Xie added.

(Xinhua News Agency November 29, 2007)