China's earlier emissions peak depends on developed nations
0 
China's top climate change official said on Wednesday that the country's greenhouse gas emissions would peak at an earlier date if developed countries complied with the international protocols.
"We will try to get passed the peak of emissions as early as possible, but this also hinges on how much money the developed nations will offer and what technology they will transfer as required by the international protocols," Xie Zhenhua, also vice minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, told reporters on the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations climate talks in northern China's Tianjin.
"The more money they provide, or the earlier the money arrives, the sooner we should be able to pass the emissions peak," Xie said.
He noted some developed countries, although with a per capita GDP of more than 40,000 U.S. dollars a year, still were yet to reach their emissions peak as their greenhouse gas emissions continued to rise.
"Under such circumstances, how can you ask China, with a per capital GDP just over 3,000 U.S. dollars, to foresee its peak?" he asked.
Xie added that China's emissions peak was unlikely to come before its per capita GDP reached 40,000 U.S. dollars.
After three rounds of talks this year, which are moving slowly towards a negotiating text for the Cancun meeting, more than 3,000 delegates from 194 nations gathered in Tianjin to accelerate the search for common ground ahead of a major meeting in Mexico's Cancun at the end of the year.
However, the gap remains wide between the developed and developing nations as the former remain wary of green technology transfers and additional financing to poorer nations.
The Tianjin meeting is scheduled to run from Oct. 3 to 9.
Go to Forum >>0 Comments