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China pledges emissions cuts in run up to Doha

: 0 Comment(s)Print E-mail Xinhua, November 21, 2012

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"We hope the Doha conference, like the one in Durban (last year), will reach a comprehensive and balanced result," said Xie.

"After nearly two decades of negotiations, we need to finalize the common understanding set up by the convention and the protocol, (in order) to take action and to fulfill the promises made by countries," Xie said.

The most important outcome of the conference should be making definite arrangements for the implementation and enforcement of the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol.

It should also ensure that the second commitment period is implemented on Jan. 1, 2013, the report said.

China will keep an open mind in international climate talks only if the principles of fairness and "common but differentiated responsibilities" are adhered to.

"No matter the negotiation result (in Doha), China will take more active measures domestically," said Xie.

During the 2006-2010 period, China's aggregate energy consumption per unit of GDP dropped 19.1 percent from that of 2005, which is equivalent to a reduction of 1.46 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions. This means the nation has accomplished its energy conservation goals listed in the 11th Five-Year Plan (2006-2010), Xie quoted the report as saying.

According to the report, China will continue to be active in further reducing domestic emissions by upgrading the industrial structure, improving energy efficiency, increasing vegetational coverage and strengthening international cooperation.

By 2015, the nation aims to reduce energy consumption per unit of GDP by 16 percent, cut CO2 emissions per unit of GDP by 17 percent and raise the proportion of non-fossil fuels in the overall primary energy mix to 11.4 percent, said the report.

Xie said developed countries should put forth more efforts and increase their emissions reduction promises, as they contributed most to the global emissions, historically speaking. "But they fail to do it now," he said.

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