China Economic Review
Charting China’s changing economic terrain · Since 1990
Emissions target
November 29, 2009
China’s State Council says China will trim its "carbon intensity" 40 to 45% by the year 2020 as compared to 2005 levels. This emissions target follows a similar announcement by the Obama administration ahead of next month’s UN climate change conference in Copenhagen.China has stated it will work to constrain carbon dioxide emissions believed, but not proved, to contribute to global warming. The emissions target follows a similar announcement by the Obama administration ahead of next month’s UN climate change conference in Copenhagen.
Carbon intensity is defined as the amount of greenhouse gases emitted for each unit of nation income.
Which presents a paradox. Linking the goal to the gross national product means that China, arguably the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, will very possibly see the total of its emission increase as China’s economy, one of the world’s fastest-growing, rockets forward. Thus while the percentage of emissions will decrease, the overall volume will very possibly increase.
VA Newscom reported that Barack Obama had been pushing China to commit to reducing emmissions before the summit in Copenhagen. Yu Qingtai, China’s envoy on climate change negotiation firmly places the blame for current global warming trends on developed nations.
The envoy said developed nations should take "serious action" to remain true to their words in solving the climate change problem they caused.