Thursday, August 19, 2010

China launches low-carbon pilot in 
select cities, provinces
 

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) launched a national low-carbon province and low-carbon city experimental project in Beijing on Aug. 18. The project will be implemented in five provinces, namely Guangdong, Liaoning, Hubei, Shaanxi and Yunnan, and in eight cities, namely Tianjin, Chongqing, Shenzhen, Xiamen, Hangzhou, Nanchang, Guiyang and Baoding.

Relevant government officials of those provinces and cities have promised to research and develop a low-carbon development plan, accelerate the establishment of an industry structure featuring low carbon emissions and actively promote low-carbon lifestyles and consumption patterns in order to help tackle global climate change.

Xie Zhenhua, deputy director of the NDRC, said the low-carbon experimental project is a significant measure China has taken to deal with climate change. 

"For the long-term interests of the Chinese nation as well as all human beings, the Party Central Committee and the State Council regard addressing climate change as one of the important strategies of China's economic and social development, and has set goals to control the emissions of greenhouse gasses until 2020. China will include the goal into the medium and long-term plan of the national economic and social development."

According to the NDRC, the experimental areas will include the work on climate change into the local "12th Five-Year Plans" and formulate the low-carbon development plan. The government of these experimental provinces and cities will clearly establish operational goals, major tasks and specific measures of controlling the local emissions of greenhouse gases. 

In addition, they will also establish the statistics and management system of greenhouse gas emissions and actively promote the low carbon lifestyle and consumption pattern in order to reduce the carbon emissions.

The NDRC also required the experimental areas to explore a mechanism to promote energy conservation and emissions reduction as well as the development of the low-carbon industry and implement the target-related responsibility system in controlling greenhouse gas emissions. 

The experimental areas are also required to explore effective government guidance and economic incentive policies, study and apply the market mechanism to achieve the emissions goal as well as closely follow the latest technological advancements in the low carbon field and actively promote the introduction, absorption and re-innovation of technologies or conduct joint research and development on new technologies with overseas companies.
By People's Daily Online
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90778/90862/7110049.html

No comments: