China vows green commitments: road to Copenhagen

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-08-24 22:58

BEIJING: As a participant in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol, China on Monday vowed "utmost sincerity" in pushing for the success of climate talks in December in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Xie Zhenhua, Vice Minister of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), made the remarks in a report delivered to the 10th session of the 11th National People's Congress Standing Committee.

Passed in 1992, the UNFCCC laid the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities" for developed and developing nations.

The principle requires developed countries to provide funding and technology to developing nations. The latter are required to "take active measures" to adapt to and ease climate change while developing economically and alleviating poverty.

The Kyoto Protocol, signed in 1997, set quantified emission reduction targets for developed countries from 2008 to 2012.

The Copenhagen conference will focus on setting the next targets of emission reduction after the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012.

It will also settle the further implementation of the Bali Road Map reached at the UN Climate Change Conference in December 2007 in Bali,Indonesia.

In the road map, participants agreed that negotiations on the implementation of the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol should be carried out separately and an angreement should be reached in Copenhagen.

It clearly states that every UNFCCC participating party should be obliged to take responsibility for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, including the United States, which refused to sign the Kyoto Protocol.

The road map also stresses the importance of international cooperation, funding and technology transfers in tackling climate change problems.

The right of economic development for developing nations should be ensured, according to the road map.

Besides taking part in international agreements, China also issued its own plans to fight climate change, including the China's National Climate Change Program adopted in June 2007.

In the program, the government said it would restructure the country's energy consumption and reduce the use of fossil fuels as much as possible.

By 2010, China should lower its energy consumption per unit of GDP by 20 percent over the figures of 2005 and increase the proportion of renewable energy to 10 percent of its total energy use, according to the program.