BEIJING, May 7 (Reuters) - China will launch an 18-month investigation targetted at officials who degrade energy resources or the environment, or who help others escape punishment for such cases, in an effort to give teeth to central government policies.

It will also investigate officials who illegally approve land acquisitions or use, or who illegally transferred land at below-market prices, Xinhua said on Wednesday, citing the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

Although Beijing has announced a series of measures designed to curb emissions, prevent over-investment in heavy industry, and prevent an alarming decline in farmland, in practice most officials' performance is judged on how quickly the economy grows under their watch.

Fabulous profits to be made from real estate or coal also encourage local government officials to bypass land use or mining safety rules.

The result has been growth that exceeds central government targets, and rapid depletion of scarce land and resources.

The investigation will probe dereliction of duty involving crimes leading to serious losses of public property including land, coal, forests, water, electricity and roads, Xinhua said.

It will also investigate malfeasance involving crimes related to fatal work accidents, Xinhua added.

In the last four years, 3,822 functionaries were punished for dereliction of duty involving crimes that harmed energy resources or the environment.

In the last two years, 1,193 officials were penalized for dereliction of duty involving crimes related to fatal work accidents, Xinhua said, citing procurate statistics.

(Reporting by Lucy Hornby; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)

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