China Joins President Obama, in Pledge of Hard Targets on Emissions

[mucifer]

By EDWARD WONG and KEITH BRADSHER
Published: November 26, 2009

BEIJING — The Chinese government announced Thursday that it had set a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 relative to economic development. China is aiming to reduce what it calls so-called carbon intensity by 40 to 45 percent compared to 2005 levels, according to Xinhua, the state news agency.

The announcement came the day after President Obama pledged a provisional target for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, the first time in more than a decade that an American administration has offered even a tentative promise to reduce production of climate-altering gases. President Obama discussed climate change with the Chinese president, Hu Jintao, when the two met in Beijing on Nov. 16.

China and the United States, the two largest emitters of greenhouse gases, have been in discussions on options that both nations can take to address the issue of climate change. Both countries are expected to be crucial players in talks next month at international climate meetings in Copenhagen at which nations will negotiate terms for a global post-2012 treaty on reducing emissions, although leaders have said they do not expect to come to an agreement there.

Chinese officials announced Thursday that Prime Minister Wen Jiabao would attend, after American officials said Wednesday that President Obama also planned to take part in the talks himself.

In Copenhagen, Mr. Obama will tell the delegates that the United States intends to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions “in the range of” 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 and 83 percent by 2050, American officials said Wednesday. ...
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/27/science/earth/27climate.html?_r=1&hp

[hughee99]

1. It sounds good, but I'm 1000% sure China will never even come close

to 2005 levels. Makes a nice story, though.

[mucifer]

3. I'm not sure what the corporate backed senate can pass legislatively.

[FreakinDJ]

2. Do you really think China will hold it's promise

its more like ransom

Send us all your manufacturing industry or we'll have to keep our gross polluting small iron smelting operations