New rules unveiled for clean projects
By Fu Jing (China Daily)
Updated: 2004-06-24 23:34

In an effort to develop the world's largest clean development market, the Chinese Government has developed "game rules" for new projects.

A new regulation on projects aimed at lessening greenhouse gas emissions with advanced technology and capital from developed countries was unveiled yesterday.

The regulation on management of clean development projects goes into effect on June 30.

Approved by the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the clean development mechanism regulation creates a legal foundation for the expansion of clean development practices in China. It clearly stipulates qualifications and conditions for new projects.

"It's the game rules for enterprises and developed countries to be involved in clean development mechanisms projects," said Gao Guangsheng, director general of the National Co-ordination Committee for Climate Change.

Only Chinese enterprises and companies held by Chinese partners are qualified to apply for clean development projects, according to the regulation.

Priority will be given to projects aimed at improving energy efficiency and exploration of new and renewable energy, said Gao.

To promote such environment-friendly projects, China has launched a website http://cdm.ccchina.gov.cn with sponsorship from the United Nations Development Programme(UNDP).

The regulation was proposed as part of the Kyoto Protocol adopted on December 11, 1997.

It is being devised to assist developed countries fulfill their commitments on emission reduction.

At the same time, it will provide an opportunity for developing countries - not bound to reduce emissions under the protocol - to participate in the process of global greenhouse gas mitigation and to promote sustainable development.

It also allows industrialized countries to earn emissions credits from their investments in emission-reducing projects in developing countries.

China is the largest potential clean development market in the world. It makes up about half the world's total, analysts said.

That's partly due to the country's heavy reliance on coal and its lack of up-to-date energy efficient technologies and renewable energy sources.

China also actively seeks clean development initiatives and assistance from foreign donors to address climate change through the broad categories of technological transfers, capacity building and public education and outreach.

Gao said the Chinese Government has attached great importance to dealing with climate change.

The measures taken so far include technology upgrades to raise energy efficiency and the promotion of renewable energy to replace conventional fuels, as well as planting trees and controlling the impact of the human population on the environment.

China is working with international agencies such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, as well as bilateral work with a number of countries including Canada, the UK, Denmark and the Netherlands.

Currently China has about 20 small scale projects covering small hydropower, wind farm, energy-free refrigeration, municipal waste incineration for power generation and sugar-house, waste-based organic fertilizer production for avoiding methane emission.

Close

Today's Top News     Top China News
Minister: China deserves market economy status         Grain yield to end years of decline         Iraq attacks kill over 100, wound 320         SARS vaccine shows promising results         Investigation: Boat tragedy 'avoidable'         Probe-2 satellite headed for July orbit	Probe-2 satellite headed for July orbit       Green GDP fine tunes growth to ecology       Grain yield to end years of decline       542 Japanese chemical bombs retrieved       New system to make professors do better       Investigation: Boat tragedy 'avoidable'