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A textbook compiled by the head of China's environmental watchdog institution was published Wednesday for local officials to understand the recycling-based economy, a new guideline for China's economic development.

A recycling-based economy, or a closing-loop materials economy,featuring more efficient energy consumption, lower emissions and higher returns, is very important for an energy-thirsty China, said Xie Zhenhua, the director of State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), who is also chief editor of the book.

The 484-paged book, named "Readings on A Recycling-based Economy for Local Officials," was written by a score of experts from top research institutes including the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tsinghua University, and research fellows with SEPA.

Officials from SEPA said they did not require local officials to buy this book, but assumed most officials above the county-level would soon procure the book from the administration, as pollution control and energy saving have become an important part in their work evaluation.

China has been promoting a recycling-based economy as a development guideline in recent years, aiming to ensure its fast economic and social development with the lowest possible costs andleast damage to the natural environment.

Xie said it was an ambitious goal facing a lot of obstacles. "One of the major problems is that local officials do not understand it is an urgent and critical task to tackle pollution and save energy," he said.

Others were confused by what a recycling-based economy means and how to follow the theory in policymaking settings, Xie added.

The book introduces a recycling-based economy through the theory's history, meaning, practices, and evaluation models.