In its fight against climate change, China will adopt
on-the-ground strategies supported financially and technologically
from Norway.
Further strengthening their relationship yesterday, the two
countries signed agreements in Beijing, witnessed by Premier Wen Jiabao and Norwegian Prime Minister Jens
Stoltenberg, during the latter's four-day official visit to
China.
The three pacts include one addressing climate change, and will
be jointly conducted by Norway, the United Nations Development
Program (UNDP) and China.
Details of the agreement were not immediately released, but a
statement from the UNDP announced that the programs would aid risk
assessment by Chinese provincial governments in terms of climate
change and needed responses.
"The presence of the countries' top leaders proves the strong
commitment being made by both governments to respond to climate
change," Khalid Malik, the UNDP representative in China, said.
The US$2 million project will be funded by Norway and will start
by the middle of the year under the supervision of the National
Coordination Committee on Climate Change with the National
Development and Reform Commission, the country's top economic
planning agency, and the UNDP.
Targeting two provinces in particular, the project will seek to
slash greenhouse gas emissions in Shanxi Province and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region by improving
regional industry efficiency.
A further goal will be the observation of glacial melting in the
Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to provide local governments with a solution
package.
During one-hour official talks prior to the signing of the
pacts, the two leaders agreed to further develop to work out a
framework agreement on environmental protection to help future
cooperation.
Wen said China supported the Kyoto Protocol, noting
that although "the protocol gave no stipulations on the reduction
of emissions for developing countries, the Chinese government would
adopt a responsible attitude and seriously fulfill its
obligations."
China's work with the international community, including Norway,
will continue unabated in fighting climate change, improving energy
efficiency, developing clean energy sources and bringing greenhouse
gas emissions to heel, he said.
Stoltenberg also placed global environmental problems at the
door of industrialization by developed countries, adding that these
nations are responsible for ensuring emission reductions among
developing countries.
In a direct application of his call, he announced that Norway
would help China reach its emission reduction goal through more
investment and sharing of technologies.
Also yesterday, the two countries signed a memorandum of
understanding that sees Norway officially recognize China's full
market economy status.
Further negotiations between Wen and Stoltenberg saw them agree
to optimize the bilateral trade structure, encourage more two-way
investments and expand cooperation in terms of clean energy, energy
saving, fishery and forestry.
A pledge was also made to soon begin feasibility studies in
establishing a free trade agreement between China and Norway.
Norway is the 69th country in the world to grant China complete
market economy status, but China's biggest trade partners the US,
the EU and Japan remain off this list.
(China Daily March 27, 2007)
