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MULTIMEDIA
May 27, 2012
 
 
 
 
 
 

China unveils carbon target ahead of Copenhagen climate talks

Smoke billows from a power plant in Wuzhong in China’s Ningxia Hui autonomous region. China has said that its promise to cut carbon intensity up to 45 percent by 2020 is a “binding goal.”
27 November 2009 / REUTERS, BEIJING
China has unveiled its first firm target to curb greenhouse gas emissions, laying out a carbon intensity goal on Thursday that Premier Wen Jiabao will take to looming climate talks as his government’s central commitment.
The announcement comes a day after the United States unveiled its proposal to cut greenhouse gases by 2020 and said President Barack Obama will attend the Dec. 7-18 UN climate talks in Copenhagen. Beijing said on Thursday Wen would also attend.

China, the world’s top emitter of greenhouse gases from human activity, pledged to cut the amount of carbon dioxide emitted for each unit of national income 40 to 45 percent by 2020, compared to 2005 levels, the official Xinhua agency reported. “This is a voluntary action taken by the Chinese government based on its own national conditions and is a major contribution to the global effort in tackling climate change,” Xinhua said, quoting a cabinet meeting that was chaired by Wen.

The firm emissions commitment from China will help efforts to reach a deal at the UN-led talks in Denmark.

”This is a huge morale booster,” said John Hay, spokesman for the UN Climate Change Secretariat, referring to the Chinese target and the planned visit by Obama.

Greens agreed.

“It is extremely welcome news that China is now putting specific figures on its reductions of carbon intensity towards 2020,” said Kim Carstensen, leader of WWF International’s global climate initiative.

Negotiations over a new climate change treaty have stalled as rich and poor nations argued over who should cut emissions, by how much and who should pay.

China’s announcement after big emitters Brazil and Indonesia recently announced tough 2020 reduction targets and Wednesday’s 2020 target from the United States are expected to help the Copenhagen talks, analysts say, although there are likely to be demands for tougher action.

 
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