China announces first-ever emissions targets

Published: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 07:30:00

China has for the first time announced targets for limiting greenhouse emissions as the country's premier confirms he will attend next month's crucial talks in Copenhagen. Beijing said on Thursday it would aim to reduce its "carbon intensity" – the amount of CO2 emitted for each unit of GDP - by between 40 and 45 per cent by 2020, compared to 2005 levels. The announcement came as it was confirmed Wen Jiabao would be attending the talks in Denmark from December 7th to 18th.

The talks are aimed at securing fresh targets to succeed the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. China's announcement follows the confirmation earlier this week that US president Barack Obama will also be in attendance, but only at the start of the negotiations. The US has said it will cut emission by 17 per cent from 2005 levels by 2020.

America and China are the world's biggest polluters and environmentalists have already complained the new targets set this week do not go far enough in curbing emissions. Some though have claimed the announcements mark a step in the right direction and offer hope ahead of the Copenhagen talks following widespread scepticism they would fail to deliver any form of new strategy in fighting climate change. The Times quotes Yang Ailun of Greenpeace in Beijing, as saying: "It's very positive that China has announced its target right now, it's a very positive signal for Copenhagen. It is within the range that people have been speculating.

"Greenpeace believes China could do more. It's not as ambitious as it could be. China could do at least 50 per cent."

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