At least 20 Chinese media organizations are to send correspondents to Copenhagen to cover the climate change summit this month, as the nation's interest in environmental issues intensifies.

Xinhua is to dispatch a 15-member team to report the conference for print and broadcast media.

"We will write stories from national and international perspectives," said Yang Jun, a journalist with Xinhua's international news department.

Yang said their primary concern was the willingness and commitment expressed by governments to work out fair solutions.

"This conference is also a good opportunity to raise public awareness of environmental protection," Yang said.

The Beijing News daily newspaper promised a comprehensive view and detailed stories from the summit, which runs from December 7 to 18.

Xie Lai, the paper's correspondent going to Copenhagen, said the Beijing News would report on how the shrinking Arctic ice shelf was affecting the climate and how Europeans were leading low carbon lives.

"An increasing number of Beijing residents are willing to live more environment-friendly lives, and we can learn from other countries on their practical and concrete measures," Xie said.

Xie also planned to cover the latest development of more efficient utilization of clean energies, like solar power.

Sohu.com, one of China's major Internet portals, is also planning extensive coverage.

"We are cooperating with more than 100 journalists, experts, officials and NGO members to cover the conference in diverse dimensions," said Su Su, editor with the "Green Channel" of Sohu.com.

Launched in last June, the Green Channel focuses on energy saving information, climate change, ecology and environmental protection.

"We have been preparing for the Copenhagen summit ever since the beginning of this year. The achievements at the conference are important not only to our country but to everyone of us," Su said.

"I remember that six or seven years ago, few Chinese media organizations were interested in reporting environment issues, but now so many do," Li Gao, an official with the National Development and Reform Commission and a key climate change negotiator representing the Chinese government, said last week.

"This is great progress. The importance of measures to curb climate change is widely recognized," Li said.

(Xinhua News Agency December 4, 2009)