China is adopting a new green index in a bid to pressure local governments to reduce pollution and create more-sustainable economic development—though a high pace of growth is likely to remain the Chinese leadership’s priority. In the works for more than a year—and talked about for much longer—the new “green development” index released Tuesday is based on 55 parameters, from carbon emissions to disposable income per capita. An official with one of the agencies involved in compiling the index said the indicator is meant to guide local governments on development and send a signal to focus less on rapid growth at the expense of the environment. A subindex on quality of growth looks at contributions to growth from services and innovative industries, as well as investment in research and development. Related Coverage The green index fits […]