China announces first emissions targets to improve air quality

The Chinese premier yesterday (November 26th) announced the country's first-ever emissions reduction targets.

China's State Council set out plans to reduce CO2 emissions per unit of gross domestic product by 40 to 45 per cent by 2020, compared with 2005 levels.

In a statement, the Asian superpower said: "This is a voluntary action taken by the Chinese government based on its own national conditions and is a major contribution to the global effort in climate change."

Premier Wen Jibao is set to attend the UN's Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen next month.

However, this is a reduction in carbon intensity, which will see levels of carbon dioxide continue to rise but at a slower pace, rather than an all-out emissions cut.

China argues that it is still a developing nation and therefore should not have to apply the same levels of CO2 management as the western world.

Earlier this week, Barack Obama outlined ambitious emissions reduction targets for the US and confirmed that he would be attending the summit in the Danish capital that begins on December 7th.

Posted by Claire Manning