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China stance on climate talks firm

By Fu Jing and Li Jing (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-05-15 07:41

China will remain firm in its call for developed nations to cut emissions and for other nations to receive funding as the world attempts to formulate a post-Kyoto deal on climate change.

A climate change official said yesterday that China's long-held position had been detailed in a document that will be sent to the United Nations ahead of the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December.

The submission will be released to the public in two weeks.

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Li Gao, a division director of the Climate Change Department of National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said: "Together with each country's document, we submit ours to the UN to facilitate the negotiations before a global climate change deal is sealed."

Once the UN receives submissions from China and other countries involved in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, it will map out a draft deal.

While the exact details of China's document are unknown, the government has often said it wants developed nations to cut emissions by up to 40 percent.

It has also said that China, as a developing nation, would give an undertaking to improve energy efficiency and that less developed nations should receive financial assistance to combat climate change.

The first round of climate change negotiations took place in Bonn, Germany, last month. There will be four more UN sessions before the Copenhagen conference.

"No matter what happens on the road to Copenhagen, our stance and principles are long-held," Li said. "We are active both in global talks and taking action in curbing emission."

The Chinese government has said it would avoid promising a cut in greenhouse gases during the 2013-2020 period.

Instead, China will consider setting a goal to improve energy efficiency by 2020, which decreases greenhouse gas emission, a source close to Li's commission said.

"I was told that between 2011-20, China will probably promise to achieve the same energy-saving target as it is doing during the 2006-10 period," a source invited to an NDRC internal meeting, said.

China is in the process of cutting energy consumption by 4 percent per unit of GDP every year between 2006 and 2010.

"We will urge the developed countries to take more concrete measures and set clear targets on emission cuts," Li said.

In a previous report, another NDRC official said developed nations must commit to cutting emissions by 25-40 percent by 2020 as well as ramp up funding for developing countries.

Li said China would also propose to establish a specific financing mechanism for the transfer of green energy technology and funding for climate change adaptation for poorer nations.