China Issues White Paper on Addressing Climate Change

The Chinese government on Tuesday issued a white paper on its policies and actions for addressing climate change, highlighting a range of major policy measures to mitigate and adapt to climate change and its remarkable results during the 11th Five-Year Plan (2006-2010) period.

The white paper, titled China's Policies and Actions for Addressing Climate Change, was released by the State Council Information Office.

The white paper introduced China's policies and actions for addressing climate change, and the positive results achieved during that period, as well as China's overall arrangements to address climate change and its related negotiating position.

In 2006, China set forth the compulsive goal of reducing its per-unit GDP energy consumption in 2010 by 20 percent from that of 2005.

In 2007, China became the first developing country to formulate and implement a national program to address climate change.

Two years later, China put forward the goal of action to reduce the per-unit GDP greenhouse gas emission in 2020 by 40 percent to 45 percent as compared to that of 2005.

The white paper said China accelerated the transformation of its economic development mode during its 11th Five-Year Plan period, and achieved remarkable results in controlling greenhouse gas emission by promoting industrial restructuring, energy restructuring and energy conservation, improving energy efficiency, and increasing carbon sink.

According to the white paper, China accomplished its energy conservation goals listed in the 11th Five-Year Plan -- China's energy consumption per unit of GDP dropped 19.1 percent from that of 2005 accumulatively, which is equivalent to a reduction of 1.46 billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

China also strengthened scientific research, improved relevant laws and policies, and enhanced the capability of key sectors to adapt to climate change, so as to reduce the negative impact of climate change on economic and social development and people's lives, the white paper declared.

With a high sense of responsibility, China has proactively and constructively participated in international negotiations to address climate change, striving to make positive contributions to building a fair and reasonable international mechanism for addressing climate change.

China also proactively participated in and promotes practical cooperation with governments, international organizations and institutions based on the principles of "mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, being practical and effective," the white paper said.

According to the white paper, China will take addressing global climate change as an important task in its economic and social development during its 12th Five-Year Plan period.

China will foster the concept of green and low-carbon development, and adhere to the new road of industrialization, rationally control total energy consumption.

China will also increase the capacity of carbon sinks to effectively control greenhouse gas emissions, improve the capacity to cope with climate change, conduct extensive international cooperation on climate change, and promote sustainable economic and social development in the 12th Five-Year Plan period, the white paper noted.

An UN climate change conference is scheduled for late November to early December, 2011 in Durban, South African. The white paper said China maintains that the Durban climate change conference should put into effect the consensus reached at the 2010 Cancun Climate Change Conference, determine the arrangements of relevant mechanisms.

It should also continue with the negotiations on issues left unresolved at the Cancun Conference, and strive for positive results on the basis of consensus already reached.