China Offers Position for Copenhagen

In preparation for the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen later this year, the National Planning and Reform Commission of China recently released its position paper.

A short AP article summarizes the paper and highlights the following points about China's stance on emissions:

• No stated emissions targets for China or other developing countries.


• Technology transfers and other support are critical for success.


• Rich countries should provide at least 0.5-1% of their annual GDP to help developing countries upgrade technology, cut emissions and adapt to the consequences of climate change.


• While visiting Prague this week, Premier Wen Jiabao shrugged off pressure from the European Union for China to commit to cutting greenhouse gas emissions, though he backed EU efforts to reach a new global climate change accord to replace the U.N. Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.

Despite its rapid growth and construction of coal-fired plants, China has taken a number of bold steps that demonstrate an increasing commitment to lowering emissions. See this recent article by the New York Times for evidence of their intention to limit increasing emissions. Of particular note is a quote by Cao Peixi, the president of the China Huaneng Group, the country’s biggest state-owned electric utility and the majority partner in the joint venture building a plant in Tianjin. “We shouldn’t look at this project from a purely financial perspective,” he said. “It represents the future.” His company's commitment to the project even though it would cost more than conventional plants is a daring statement but represents a growing movement in China that recognizes the need for action. How this plays out at next month's meeting of delegates in Bonn, Germany should be interesting to watch.