China admits it is biggest greenhouse gas emitter ahead of climate talks
Speaking at a briefing ahead of the UN talks in Mexico, Xie Zhenhua, China’s top climate change official, told reporters: “Our emissions volume now stands at number one in the world.”
His comments appeared to be the nation’s first public recognition of the fact.
Up to now, Chinese officials had not clearly acknowledged the nation’s world-leading emissions, which had nevertheless been confirmed by scientists and international organisations such as the International Energy Agency.
They preferred to emphasise the need to use emissions per capita — where China is far behind developed countries — as a benchmark.
The November 29 to December 10 talks in the Mexican resort of Cancun are set to open with deep rifts between developed and developing nations, mainly China and the United States — the two biggest sources of carbon emissions.
The United States wants China to commit to emissions cuts but Beijing argues it and other developing nations should be exempt from such curbs as they need to grow their economies and lift people from poverty.
It also notes that the emissions of industrialised, mainly Western, countries over the centuries are historically responsible for the build-up of carbon in the atmosphere.
“We hope the United States will play a leadership role and drive the entire process of negotiations,” said Xie, vice director of the National Development and Reform Commission — China’s top economic planning agency.
He announced no new Chinese proposals for the talks but vowed to limit emissions.
“China is taking decisive actions to slow down our emissions so our emissions peak can come at an early date,” he said, without giving a timetable.
“We will absolutely not accept any obligations that go beyond developing countries’ abilities,” he said.
China has set a 2020 target of reducing carbon emissions per unit of gross domestic product by 40%-45% from 2005 levels. That amounts essentially to a vow of energy efficiency, but its emissions will continue to soar.
