Legislators to deliberate draft on climate change

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-08-25 17:20

BEIJING: China's top legislature began Tuesday deliberating a draft resolution on climate change, which aims to accelerate efforts to tackle the challenge of global warming.

The draft, submitted to the 10th session of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC), says China "as a developing country" will firmly "maintain the right to development," and opposes "any form of trade protectionism disguised as tackling climate change."

It says developed nations should "take the lead in quantifying their reductions of emissions" and honor their commitments to "support developing countries with funds and technology transfers."

"Since the Industrial Revolution, the activities of mankind, especially economic activities of developed nations during their industrialization process, have been a major cause of climate change," the draft says.

It says development is "first and foremost" and developing countries should actively deal with climate change "within the framework of sustainable development."

The draft says cooperative international efforts, for example, between governments and legislative bodies, should be promoted. This would strengthen multilateral exchanges and negotiations and enhance mutual understanding.

China would continue international negotiations on climate change in the spirit of "being highly responsible for the survival and long-term development of mankind", the draft says.

The country would promote a "comprehensive, effective and continuous" implementation of the the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol, and make new contributions to the protection of global climate.

The draft says China will adhere to "the basic framework" set up in the UNFCCC, signed by more than 150 countries in 1992, and the Protocol, agreed in 1997 by the majority of the international community, and the principles of "common but differentiated responsibilities", proposed in the convention, as well as "sustainable development."

It says legislation relating to climate change should be "an important part of the socialist legal framework" and efforts should be made to improve laws on environmental protection and climate change.

The country already has the Energy Conservation Law, Renewable Energy Law, Circular Economy Promotion Law, Cleaner Production Promotion Law, Forest Law and Grassland Law.

The draft says the NPC Standing Committee should strengthen supervision of enforcement of these laws.

Lawmakers are also considering practical and effective measures to combat climate change.

It says the country must commit to energy saving and emissions reductions by promoting energy-efficient technology and products, exploiting renewable and clean energy, developing a recycling economy and further advancing afforestation and forestry carbon sequestration.

The resolution stresses the country's ability to adapt to climate change should be improved.

"We must improve monitoring and early warning systems and prepare ourselves well against extreme weather and climate disasters," it says.

The country must intensify the development of agricultural infrastructure, promote agricultural restructuring, increase research and development on water-saving technologies, and strengthen monitoring and protection of coastal environments, it says.

China's fragile ecosystem was susceptible to climate change as soil erosion was serious and its long coast line made coastal regions, including cities such as Shanghai and Xiamen, vulnerable to rising sea levels.

According to the China Meteorological Administration, if climate change was not effectively controlled, the output of major agricultural products in China, such as wheat, rice and corn, would be reduced by 37 percent in the second half of this century and, from 2010 to 2030, western China would experience water shortages of approximately 20 billion cubic meters.

The draft resolution says, "The role of science and technology in leading and supporting the fight against climate change should be given full play.

"We should make carbon reduction a new source of economic growth, and change the economic development model to maximize efficiency, lower energy consumption and minimize carbon discharges," it says.

Xie Zhenhua, the country's top representative to international climate change negotiations, told lawmakers on Monday that China would "do its best with utmost sincerity" to push for the success of the United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen in December.

Tuesday is the second day of the legislature's four-day meeting. They are usually held every two months. Wu Bangguo, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, attended the meeting.