As the United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen enters the homestretch, officials and scholars gathered at a side event to debate China's political and economic shift towards a low carbon model of growth on Dec. 15.

The meeting drew upon the preliminary results of China's forthcoming 2009/10 National Human Development Report (NHDR), entitled, China's Pathway Towards a Low Carbon Economy and Society. Government leaders, heads of international organizations, and academics attended the seminar.

United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Administrator Helen Clark stressed that any deal reached in Copenhagen must not only be fair, ambitious, and comprehensive, but also can lead to reductions in emissions and less carbon intensive production and consumption.

She said: "It must also be a good deal for development too, supporting developing countries to adapt to the impact of climate change, reduce deforestation, and pursue low-emissions and clean energy growth."

The China NHDR 2009/10 by UNDP China and Renmin University suggest that some of the more economically advanced provinces in China are the least carbon intensive while those which have a lower income and lower human development indicators have higher carbon emissions patterns.

This indicates that human development does not necessarily need to be accompanied by increases in greenhouse gas emissions. A more sustainable and low carbon development path, and one which is compatible with advancing human development goals, is indeed possible. While past economic and social progress in China and elsewhere has come at a certain cost, including to the environment, future developments can follow a different trajectory.

Khalid Malik, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in China, underscored UNDP's commitment to helping facilitate China's progress towards a low carbon model.

"UNDP is collaborating with China in dealing with the challenges of climate change and working towards a green economy, a low-carbon economy, and a circular economy," said Malik. "We are doing this by, for instance, promoting energy efficiency in industry and buildings, and supporting the implementation of the National Climate Change Policy at the local level."

Helen Clark made a comment that as China plays an ever more important part in global affairs, it can also play an increasingly important role in advancing sustainable development around the world.

She said: "China has the experience and technology available to address challenges in other developing countries, including those related to adapting to and mitigating climate change."

Other high-level participants in the side event included Mr. Xie Zhenhua, Vice-Chairman of China's National Development and Reform Commission and Head of the Chinese Delegation, Rajendra Pachauri, Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and so forth.

Following the discussions, panelists participated in a bicycle ride to highlight the importance of using environmentally friendly transportation and advocate for simple solutions to low carbon development.