China's efforts to reduce emissions gain growing recognition

Ms. Patricia Espinosa, UNFCCC Executive Secretary, speaks during a press conference on the COP24 to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change on December 8, 2018. [Photo by Han Lin/China.org.cn]

China's efforts to reduce carbon emissions have gained growing recognition by the international community, according to Ms. Patricia Espinosa, UNFCCC Executive Secretary. She was speaking at a press conference on Saturday in Katowice, Poland, during the Conference of the Parties (COP24) to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Though China is currently the world's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, its carbon intensity, or the amount of carbon dioxide emitted per unit of GDP in 2017, had declined by 46 percent from 2005 levels, meeting well ahead of schedule the target of a 40-45 percent drop by 2020, according to the latest report by the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

Ms. Espinosa said there are different indicators in terms of emissions. Despite remaining largest emission source in absolute numbers, "there is growing recognition of the efforts that China is making in order to reduce its emissions to become even a leader in clean technologies and really be able to share their good experiences with different countries in the world".

On Friday, Xie Zhenhua, China's special representative on climate change, had sought to put the country's efforts in emission control in context by pointing out that, "China remains a developing country, as well as being the biggest".

Speaking during a conference session on public awareness of climate change at the China Pavilion for the COP24 on Friday, he highlighted the fact that, despite its remarkable achievements in poverty alleviation, China still had a poverty-stricken population of between 30 to 70 million.

Thus, it faces a severe challenge to simultaneously develop its economy, improve its environment and create more jobs in order to eradicate poverty and enhance people's livelihood.

Ms. Espinosa also took the opportunity to show her appreciation for the Chinese leadership for "their clarity and vision in putting sustainability and addressing climate change at the center of the agenda of development for the coming years".