Blair: Global pact would speed up China’s transition to green economy, COP 15

Release Date: 2009-08-21

Blair: Global pact would speed up China’s transition to green economy

Former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair said Thursday that a ”practical, realistic and objective” outcome of UN-led climate negotiations in Copenhagen later this year would speed up China’s transition to a low-carbon economy.

"If we get an agreement that actually launches the world on a new path, then I think we will find that progress (in China and elsewhere) in developing the science and technology accelerates,” Blair told journalists in Beijing, according to AFP.

Blair is currently working with the non-profit Climate Group to try to push for an agreement in Copenhagen. He helped unveil the group's new report entitled "China's Clean Revolution II".

He welcomed a recent report by a government panel of experts that said China's carbon emissions could slow by 2020 and begin to fall in or about 2030, all while the country maintains economic growth, if reduction targets are set.

"That is what people want to see, the (emissions) peaking as soon as possible," Blair said.

"I expect China will come out with its position, America will come out with its position and so on ... the agenda for (Copenhagen), I think, is on a completely different level of credibility than previous negotiations."Read more
AFP at Yahoo News: Global pact to push China to low-carbon economy: Blair
Reuters: China seen looking to bigger climate change steps

Type:	NORMAL
Company:	COP 15
Country:	Denmark
Url:	http://en.cop15.dk/news/view+news?newsid=1929