China urges developed countries to set near- and medium-term targets on climate change

• Source: Xinhua
• [08:50 July 10 2009]
• Comments

Apart from a long-term target on climate change, the developed countries should give higher priority to set near- and medium-term emission reduction targets, a Chinese official said here Thursday.

Su Wei, director-general of the Department of Climate Change in China's National Development and Reform Commission, who was here for the climate change forum of the G8+G5+Egypt summit, said a long-term target could only make sense when near- and medium-term targets are set and implemented.

"It is inevitable for developing countries to increase emission in the process of economic development, but they will still make efforts to lower the growth of emission in a certain period," Su said.

But the developed nations have not raised near- and medium-term targets in dealing with climate change, he added.

"It is meaningless to discuss a long-term target if we fail to reach agreement on a near- and medium-term target between developed and developing countries," he said.

He noted that compared with previous G8 summit, the developed countries have become more responsive to climate change at this year's summit. The US government has also readjusted its policies over its carbon emission reduction.

He said these moves will help promote the discussion on climate change in Copenhagen Climate Conference scheduled for December.

Su also called on the developed nations to fulfill their commitment made in both the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and Kyoto Protocol to providing fund and transferring technology to the developing countries so as to help them effectively reduce the impacts of climate change.

The governments of developed countries should play a major role in raising funds and providing incentives to attract investment on climate change, he added.