China on Monday fully elaborate on its stand on climate change,
and urged the industrialized nations to take a lead in tackling the
"severe challenge around the globe."
"To deal with climate change is a systematic and integrated work
and requires the international community enhance cooperation and
make joint efforts," said State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan.
While meeting with a UN special envoy on climate change Han
Seung-soo, Tang, a veteran diplomat, set forth comprehensive
viewpoints on how to tackle climate change as some nations are
pressing the largest developing country to take more
responsibility.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had appointed three special
envoys on climate change, including South Korean Foreign Minister
Han Seung-soo.
The special envoys will solicit the views of national leaders,
including those who are key actors in the climate change
negotiations. First, feasible scenario after national situations
and development level after consultation.
Tang demanded the developed nations take a lead on greenhouse
gas emission reduction and provide assistance for the developing
countries in terms of technology transfer and capital, while the
developing countries follow the path of sustainable
development.
"The developed nations have both responsibility and capability
to contribute more to climate change," said Tang.
"Only When the developed and developing nations join hands can
climate change be solved fundamentally," he added.
Tang highlighted the principle of ""common but differentiated
responsibilities" in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change,
which he said lays foundation for international cooperation and
holding together global partnership.
Tang also hoped a feasible scenario on climate change should be
instituted by taking into account national situations and
development level of each country.
As a developing country, China is not obligated to meet targets
set by the Kyoto Protocol, under which 38 industrialized countries
must reduce their gas emissions by an average of 5.2 percent below
1990 levels, during the period 2008 to 2012.
But China has realized it must do its part to slow global
warming as the country has become the world's second largest carbon
dioxide emitter and is likely to overtake the United States in the
near future.
The Chinese government has set a goal of reducing energy
consumption per unit of gross domestic product by 20 percent by
2010, while pollutant discharge should drop by 10 percent.
China has taken a series of measures to deal with climate
change, and has achieved notable results in this regard, said
Tang.
At a teleconference meeting in early May, Premier Wen Jiabao has
urged more curbs on industries that consume more energy and release
more pollutants in a bid to ensure a healthy and fast economic
growth.
Wen also said to meet the target is an urgent demand of global
climate change and the coal-dependant China should bear the
responsibility to reduce pollutant emission.
China supports the UN's active role in dealing with climate
change, hoping the UN could help promote talks on gas emission
reduction mechanism after the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012, said
Tang.
Han Seung-soo spoke highly of the constructive and active role
China has played in climate change, saying the international
community should make joint efforts to fight the global
problem.
(Xinhua News Agency May 22, 2007)
