Freeman Report November 2007 - Vol.05, No.11

As an effort, at least in part, to rein in China’s unchecked polluters, the "scientific outlook on development" theory, adopted by the Hu/Wen leadership as their defining line of thought a  the 17th CCP Congress after several years of development and inculcation, is a step in the right direction for China, which by 2020 will be the world’s largest polluter. However, optimism should be guarded about the theory, which, as defined in the constitutional amendment approved at the CCP Congress, "puts people first and calls for comprehensive, balanced and sustainable development."