Is China becoming a front-runner in the fight against climate change?, COP 15

Release Date: 2009-09-25

President Hu Jintao’s landmark speech this week at the UN might herald a political change of climate in the world’s biggest populated nation, a China expert suggests.

Michael von Bülow 25/09/2009 07:40

Though criticized for obscurity and lack of specific targets, the landmark speech China’s President Hu Jintao gave at the UN earlier this week might herald a new era of climate responsibility in the world’s biggest populated nation.

Deborah Seligsohn, China program director at the World Resources Institute in Beijing, sees Hu’s address as a sign that climate change has become a priority for Chinese leaders.

"And the fact that, when Hu was addressing the United Nations, this was the subject he chose to speak on – I think it is impossible to overstate the importance of that as well," she says according to Reuters.

The lack of a firm target was in line with Chinese leaders' tradition of unveiling new initiatives with large brush strokes and leaving officials to fill in the gaps, Seligsohn added.

Chinas top climate change official has already promised that hard figures will follow soon. And the National Statistics Bureau is preparing carbon calculation methods, because it has been told controls will start from 2011, sources say.

Type:	NORMAL
Company:	COP 15
Country:	Denmark
Url:	http://en.cop15.dk/news/view+news?newsid=2192