Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli reiterated in last year's U.N. summit China's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as contribution to fight climate change. (Photo : www.wri.org)
China’s climate officials gave their assurance that the country will fulfill its pledges to cut on greenhouse gas emissions that it had submitted to the United Nations, regardless of the outcome of the Paris climate summit, China Daily reported.
More than 80 world leaders are scheduled to attend a summit in Paris to set a global framework to combat climate change. The French government said that the summit will proceed despite the latest terrorist attacks.
At a news conference on Thursday, Nov. 19, Xie Zhenhua, China's special representative on climate change issues, said that China hoped the delegates from more than 190 countries would reach an "ambitious, strong and legally binding" agreement and make the Paris conference a "landmark" occasion.
In June, China had officially submitted to the U.N. its intentions to achieve peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030, as well as its goal to lower carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by 60 to 65 percent by 2030 from 2005 levels.
Xie said these targets were set based on a two-year scientific verification and that the country will ensure that these targets will be fulfilled, no matter how difficult it will be.
"To further improve the target will need more efforts. First, it needs innovation. So we want to establish an incentive mechanism to work together globally," Xie said.
According to Xie, the financial and technological support from developed countries are important measures to encourage actions from developing countries. He added that China will strive to reach its peak emissions earlier by adjusting its energy structure and improving energy efficiency.
China led all other countries in the world in terms of clean energy installations, accounting for 25 percent of the world's total installed capacity of renewable energy in the past five years. It has greatly reduced costs of renewable energies through the rapid development of its wind and solar power.
Su Wei, China's chief climate negotiator and director-general of climate change at the National Development and Reform Commission, said that the Paris Summit would become even more significant, if it can successfully guide the world to shift to a sustainable, green and low-carbon energy use.
"Reaching consensus on goals for cutting emissions is important," Su said at the Global Climate Governance Seminar in Beijing on Thursday, Nov. 19. "But what's more important is to provide a direction for the global sustainable development and make more people aware of the urgent challenge facing humanity and how to make adjustments accordingly."
Zou Ji, a professor at the National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation, said that the Paris agreement will succeed if it can forge an "equitable, effective and win-win" deal.
"Of course, we hope the Paris meeting will generate an outcome, and we will actively contribute to that, but for China, transition to a low-carbon economy and reaching its goals is a must. There is no Plan B," Zou remarked.
