U.S. Officials Praise China Emissions Efforts
Date: 17-Jul-09
Country: CHINA
Author: Doug Palmer
U.S. Officials Praise China Emissions Efforts Photo: Jason Lee
Vehicles run on a Beijing's main road, Jianguo Road, October
13, 2008.
Photo: Jason Lee
BEIJING - China is taking "unprecedented action" to address global warming
and reduce its energy intensity, increasing chances for a new climate change
agreement later this year, top U.S. officials said on Thursday.
China recently passed the United States as the biggest emitter of greenhouse
gas emissions and together the two countries account for 42 percent of the
world's emissions.
Chinese leaders agreed unanimously that global warming was "a very serious
problem," Energy Secretary Steven Chu told reporters after meeting Chinese
officials, including Premier Wen Jiabao.
"I am greatly encouraged by what I saw on this trip," he said.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke also gave a strong endorsement of China's
seriousness in reducing greenhouse gases.
"The Chinese are taking unprecedented action ," Locke said. "They are a
model for developing countries around the world."
Locke and Chu, both Chinese-Americans, were in Beijing for talks aimed at
boosting cooperation between the two countries in fighting global warming.
Their trip came as Congress considers legislation to curb emissions in the
United States.
Chinese officials raised concern during the meetings over a act recently
passed by the U.S. House of Representatives allowing the government to
assess "carbon tariffs" on imports from countries that fail to meet U.S.
greenhouse gas standards, Locke said. China's Ministry of Commerce has
criticized the tariffs.
During the visit, the two countries launched a $15 million joint research
project aimed at creating more energy-efficient vehicles and buildings and
reducing carbon dioxide emissions from burning coal.
Coal accounts for almost 80 percent of electricity generation in China,
compared to about 49 percent in the United States.
Many experts believe cooperation between the two countries is essential for
negotiations on a new climate treaty to succeed at a meeting this December
in Copenhagen.
Chu said he was "optimistic" about the Copenhagen meeting, but gave no
details about commitments or concessions by either side.
Climate concerns are expected to be high on the agenda when U.S. President
Barack Obama visits China for a summit meeting with President Hu Jintao
later this year.
Chu said the two countries could achieve big greenhouse gas reductions by
working together to improve the energy efficiency of buildings, which now
consume about 40 percent of the world's energy and account for nearly half
of greenhouse gas emissions.
At least 30 percent of that pollution could be eliminated at no net cost by
upgrading old buildings and using modern equipment in new buildings, Chu
said. Building efficiency could ultimately be raised by three to five times,
he said.
China is expected to build the equivalent of the entire U.S. building stock
in the next 15 years, making it a tremendous "laboratory" for the two
countries to work together on energy efficient designs, Chu said.
Frictions over the huge U.S. trade deficit with China were also on display
during the trip.
In a speech on Wednesday, Locke praised steps China has taken to boost its
domestic economy but called on Beijing to help revive global growth by
opening its market to more foreign goods and services and moving to a more
flexible exchange rate regime.
The United States contends that Beijing keeps its yuan at an artificially
low value compared to the dollar, giving Chinese exports an unfair price
advantage.
With the U.S. trade deficit with China last year hitting a record $266
billion, many U.S. lawmakers have called for a more aggressive tack to
protect American companies from widespread Chinese government subsidies and
other unfair trade practices.
(Additional reporting by Lucy Hornby; Editing by Nick Macfie)
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