China unveils carbon target before Copenhagen

The announcement comes a day after the United States unveiled its proposal to cut greenhouse gases by 2020 and said President Barack Obama will attend the Dec 7-18 U.N. climate talks in Copenhagen. Beijing said on Thursday Wen would also attend.

China, the world's top emitter of greenhouse gases from human activity, pledged to cut the amount of carbon dioxide emitted for each unit of national income 40 to 45 percent by 2020, compared to 2005 levels, the official Xinhua agency reported.

The firm emissions commitment from China will help efforts to reach a deal at the U.N.-led talks in Denmark.

“This is a huge morale booster,” said John Hay, spokesman for the U.N. Climate Change Secretariat, referring to the Chinese target and the planned visit by Obama.

“It is extremely welcome news that China is now putting specific figures on its reductions of carbon intensity toward 2020,” said Kim Carstensen, leader of WWF International's global climate initiative.

Negotiations over a new climate change treaty have stalled as rich and poor nations argued over who should cut emissions, by how much and who should pay.

China's announcement after big emitters Brazil and Indonesia recently announced tough 2020 reduction targets and Wednesday's 2020 target from the United States are expected to help the Copenhagen talks, analysts say, although there are likely to be demands for tougher action.

Tough Goal?

The Cabinet said that the goal, which will still allow China's greenhouse gas emissions to grow as the economy expands, was a demanding one for the developing country.

“Controlling greenhouse gas emissions faces enormous pressures and special hardships,” the report on the meeting said.

China would embrace or extend a range of steps to reach the target, including financial and taxation policies, and continue a drive for more renewable, nuclear and clean-coal energy.

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