"They will receive a negative performance assessment if they fail to reach goals for energy efficiency and pollutant discharge reduction regardless of achievements in other fields," Xinhua said.

Last year, the government set a goal to reduce energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product by 20 percent and major pollutants discharge by 10 percent in the 11th five-year plan period ending 2010.

Under the goal, China had to cut energy consumption per unit of GDP by 4 percent and discharges of major pollutants by 2 percent last year. But it fell short of the targets.

"Greater efforts for efficiency and discharge reduction are urgently needed to deal with global weather changes and a responsibility we should shoulder," the circular added.

"If we fail to take immediate measures to reverse the situation, it will be difficult for us not only to make obvious progress in energy saving and discharge reduction this year, but also to reach the overall goal for the 11th five-year plan period," the circular said.

The State Council issued the General Work Plan for Energy Conservation and Pollutant Discharge Reduction. Xinhua said the major targets for the year 2010 included:

-- Energy consumption per 10,000 yuan of gross domestic product reduced from 1.22 tonnes of standard coal in 2005 to below 1 tonne, down by about 20 percent;

-- Water consumption per unit of industrial value added reduced by 30 percent;

-- Discharge of major pollutants reduced by 10 percent;

-- Discharge of sulphur dioxide reduced from 25.49 million tonnes in 2005 to 22.95 million tonnes;

-- Chemical oxygen demand reduced from 14.14 million tonnes in 2005 to 12.73 million tonnes;

-- The ratio of national urban treated sewage reaching at least 70 percent;

-- The ratio of comprehensive utilisation of industrial solid wastes reaching 60 percent or more.

China's first plan for climate change will seek to fortify the country against damage from global warming but also against international pressure to cut greenhouse gas pollution that Beijing calls the cost of growth.

China will unveil its national plan on Monday, two days before President Hu Jintao attends a meeting of Group of Eight leaders in Germany at which global warming will feature.