Shandong governor Jiang Daming has put his political career on the line by linking his fortunes to the province's success in achieving green goals.
He said the green accountability system for local government chiefs will be a crucial tool in achieving the national goal of reducing energy consumption and pollution.
"As head of the provincial government, I will voluntarily step down if my province falls short of the target," the governor said in an interview with China Daily. "My intent is to tell myself and my colleagues that we have to fight to win or die."
China has set a target of reducing energy consumption per unit of GDP by 20 percent and the total volume of major pollutant discharges by 10 percent between 2006 and 2010.
Shandong is committed to reducing energy consumption per unit of GDP by 4.5 percent and the total volume of major pollutant discharges by 4 percent this year.
Although the central government has signed contracts with provincial governments obliging them to agree to accept punishment if they fail to meet their green goals, Jiang is one of the few leaders to willingly put his job on the line.
And what a bet it could be. The industrial eastern province of Shandong has a huge hunger for energy and suffers from heavy industrial pollution.