China Climate Chief: All Countries Must Meet Obligations

China is willing to take concrete actions to curb carbon emissions and slow global warming, but all countries must do their part to tackle climate change, Xie Zhenhua, head of China's delegation to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa, said Wednesday.

Xie Zhenhua, deputy director of the National Development and Reform Committee [China.org.cn]

"Developed countries have strong economies and have mastered advanced low-carbon technologies. Organizations like the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Bank have a large amount of the necessary funding, knowledge and technical resources," Xie said at a high level meeting at the conference. "Rich countries, therefore, should accept their historical responsibility for carbon emissions and fulfill their commitment to move these negotiations forward."

Xie said joint efforts, especially with developed countries, are needed to fulfill the Bali Road Map negotiations, establish the second commitment period of Kyoto Protocol and implement the Green Climate Fund on this climate conference.

After a meeting with Corrado Clini, the minister for Ministry for the Environment Land and Sea, Xie said China and Italy will launch more cooperative measures on climate change.

China's State Council recently published its legally binding plan to control greenhouse gas emissions in the next five years. According to the plan, Xie said China will reduce its carbon emissions per unit of GDP by 17 percent by 2015. China will also establish emissions targets at the provincial level.

"China has a strong will to fulfill its own targets and also help other developing countries to tackle climate change," Xie said.