China is doing what it can in combating climate change as the
government is very conscious of the challenges posed by climate
change impacts, said a U.N. official on Friday.
Climate change mitigation has to be put in a global context, and
it has to be "rational and fair" in demanding any actions required
for mitigation, said Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the
Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in a side-event
held during the ongoing United Nations Climate Change Conference in
Bali.
"China is doing a great deal in terms of bringing about high
efficiency of energy use," said Pachauri on the side-event "The
United Nations and China: Connecting Institutions, Technology and
Partnerships to Combat Climate Change".
China has made major investments in hydro-projects in an
important shift to new sources of energy. And China has made major
strides in renewable energy, said Pachauri in his address "The IPCC
Findings: IPCC Fourth Assessment Report and implications for
China".
"China has to sum up a creative model in adaptation to climate
change ... and combine energy policies and climate change
mitigation in a manner that ensures a rapid economic
development."
"Efforts to push China into accepting commitment at this point
of time when several developed countries are really not showing
that level of political will and that level of ambition to cut down
on their own emissions may really not be the right strategy."
The U.N. official said, "China is doing what it can and probably
doing much more and will do much more. But this has to be part of a
global effort where the principle of 'common but differentiated
responsibilities' can not be forgotten."
China published its National Program to address climate change
in June this year, setting ambitious domestic goals including
reducing energy consumption per unit GDP by 20 percent and
increasing the share of renewable energy to 10 percent by 2010.
(Xinhua News Agency December 8, 2007)
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