China Urges Greater CO2 Reductions by Rich Countries

China has called on rich countries like the US and the UK to put in place more ambitious CO2 emission reduction targets, amidst current UN discussions on how to forge a replacement Kyoto Protocol deal.

Representing the Chinese National Development and Reform Commission, an official, Li Lyan, urged for these nations to agree to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases by as much as 40 per cent over the next 11 years, and also to accelerate their funding of anti-climate change efforts within poorer nations.

China currently produces more greenhouse gases than any other country. Its overall level of power production climbed to 792.5 GW in 2000, having grown 250 per cent over the previous eight years and this indicates, if the trend continues, that it could be track to exceed the US by 2015.

Industrial coal burning is responsible for much of China’s energy, but renewable energy sources are also now being drawn upon, to some extent.

According to Li, China is keen to implement some degree of carbon reduction strategies, but is so far undecided on the best way forward.

"The success of Copenhagen needs strengthened and deeper cuts, and more aggressive targets from developed countries” he said, in reference to a 190-nation-strong climate change meeting scheduled to take place in the Danish capital at the end of 2009.

Li added that China also plans to introduce a dedicated financing structure in order to move towards adopting cleaner energy technologies, in addition to providing developing nations with finance, allowing them to embrace the challenges of acting against climate change.

In April 2009, China recommended that the UN establish a dedicated sub-division concerned with climate change adaptation.

Emission Reduction Targets

Speaking to news agency Reuters earlier this week, Yvo de Boer – Climate Change Secretariat at the UN – reported that the proposed emission reduction target put forward by rich countries were “encouraging”, but added that even more severe cuts could be possible within the US and within other nations.

"One of the main points from now on is to see how... far the level of ambition can be increased”, he stated.

CO2 Emission Cuts

As far as developing nations are presently concerned, the terms of the existing Kyoto Protocol to do with individual CO2 emission cuts need to be updated for richer countries.  At the same time, these richer countries need to up their financing of renewable energy technology efforts within developing countries, in order to help them lower their carbon footprints.