At Climate Summit, China Says Its Carbon

Emissions Will Peak 'as Early as Possible'

UNITED NATIONS China, the world's biggest emitter of the planet-warming gas carbon dioxide,
pledged on Tuesday to slow the rise of its emissions and reach a peak "as soon as possible."
Speaking at the U.N. Climate Summit in New York, Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli gave hints of both
progress and pitfalls ahead. The summit, at more than 120 officials above the level of foreign minister, is
the largest gathering of heads of state ever assembled on this topic. (International talks on climate
change are kicking into high gear in the lead- to a pivotal conference in Paris next year.)
On the one hand, as far as environmentalists and the Obama administration are concerned, the mere
mention of a peak in China's carbon dioxide emissions was new and ambitious, considering how quickly
the Chinese economy has grown in recent years and how fast emissions have risen as well. During the
past decade, for example, China saw about 10% per year increases in carbon dioxide emissions, although
that slowed in 2013, according to a report from the European Commission.
China has a goal to reduce its carbon intensity, which is a way of measuring the carbon emissions per
unit of gross domestic product, by up to 45% by 2020. Zhang said that China will reveal its goals for
reducing emissions post-2020 during the first quarter of 2015, as the United States also intends to do.

Zhang said that in 2013, carbon intensity dropped by nearly 29% from the 2005 level, and that installed
renewable energy capacity increased significantly as well.
Responding to climate change is what China needs to do to attain sustainable development at home,
Zhang told the throngs of dignitaries, corporate titans and representatives of civil society groups at the
U.N.
As a responsible major developing country China will make an even greater effort to address climate
change, he said. According to Zhang, the post-2020 plan will include goals "to markedly reduce carbon
intensity, increase the share of non-fossil fuels," boost forest conservation and "we will also try to bring
about the peaking of total carbon dioxide emissions as early as possible.
This means that China will work to have its absolute emissions (not the carbon intensity) hit a ceiling,
and presumably go down from that point forward.
On the other hand, China signaled its continued support for a long-running source of tension between
industrialized countries and developing nations regarding the U.N. climate treaty process. The U.N.
Framework Convention on Climate Change, which was negotiated in 1992, well before China's emissions
overtook U.S. emissions, mandates that developing countries and industrialized nations have "common
but differentiated responsibilities" in addressing the problem.
Carbon Emissions Trends
Trends in carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels and cement production, showing the rapid rise of
China's emissions.
In 2009, for the first time, China and other developing countries committed to taking action to reduce
their emissions along with industrialized countries, but it remains to be seen how far they are willing to
go when the next treaty is negotiated in 2015. That treaty is due to go into effect by 2020.
Zhang said he wants to stick to the original treaty concept, which would recognize that industrialized
countries caused most of the climate change to date via the industrial revolution, while countries like
the U.S. are seeking to place more emphasis on the current emissions of the global community as well as
the fact that most future emissions will come from rapidly developing countries like China and India.
All countries need to follow the path of green- and low-carbon development that suits their national
conditions," Zhang said. He called upon industrialized countries to "truly intensify emissions reduction
and fulfill their obligations of financial support and tech transfer."
In a press conference following Zhang's speech, Xie Zhenhua, vice chairman of China's National
Development and Reform Commission, told reporters that China is conducting research into how soon
its emissions can peak and cannot yet be specific about a date.

Xie said China recognizes that it needs to act based on its own best interests due to climate change
impacts and air pollution hazards it is already experiencing.
"We are doing it for our own sake, Xie said. "We are doing it for our own sake, Xie said. Asked to
elaborate about Zhang's references to the unequal obligations of developing countries versus
industrialized countries, which is a concept known as "common but differentiated responsibilities," Xie
said this principle "must be followed" by any subsequent treaty.
The World Resources Institute (WRI) is a Washington think tank that pays close attention to China's
climate policies. In a statement, Jennifer Morgan of WRI lauded China's message to the Climate Summit,
saying, Chinas remarks at the Climate Summit go further than ever before. Vice Premier Zhang Gaolis
announcement to strive to peak emissions as early as possible is a welcome signal for the cooperative
action we need for the Paris Agreement. Peaking emissions is vital to curb climate change and to rein in
dangerous air pollution."
The Climate Action Network and Global Coalition for Climate Action also found reasons for optimism
within Zhang's speech. "China should be commended for signaling its intention to peak emissions as
soon as possible. Such moves along with more ambitious actions by the US at which President Obama
hinted could accelerate negotiations towards the global climate agreement due next year," the
groups said in a joint statement.