China urges boosted actions on climate change
- By Gong Yingchun in Warsaw, Poland
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E-mail China.org.cn, November 22, 2013
All parties involved should step up efforts to hammer out a series of practical and enhanced actions suited for both developed and developing countries beyond 2020, in a bid to reach a new agreement in 2015, said Xie Zhenhua, head of the Chinese delegation and vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, during a closed-door high-level dialogue on Nov. 21, one day before the conclusion of the Warsaw Climate Change Conference.
"China holds that the essence of the Durban Platform is to enhance the actions by all parties in a bid to insure the Convention to be implemented in a comprehensive, effective and durable way," Xie said. He also pointed out that it is crucial for the success of Durban Platform to stick to the framework and principles of the Convention. Likewise, he noted that the enhanced actions on addressing climate change must comply with the Convention and reflect the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities."
Carbon emissions as well as GDP have increased in developing countries over the past 20 years, Xie said. However, he explained the difference of emissions between developing and developed countries, given that the developing economies are still in the process of industrialization, whereas their developed counterparts have already entered the era of post-industrialization.
Xie calls on developed countries to notably cut their carbon emissions beyond 2020, and provide both funding and technology to developing countries. Additionally, developing countries should also undertake more actions in the adaptation of the principle of sustainable development.
Japan announced last Friday that it will slash its greenhouse gas emissions by 3.8 percent from its 2005 levels by 2020, a reversal from the previous ambitious 25 percent cut from the 1990 levels. Xie said the discussion concerning the topics of emission reduction models beyond 2020 and keeping the global average temperature rise below two degrees Celsius would have to start from scratch if developed countries do not undertake drastic emission cuts or even scale back their emissions targets.
The Durban Platform was established by the 2011 United Nations Climate Change Conference, aiming to establish a legally binding deal engaging all countries by 2015, which was to take effect in 2020.
The High-level Ministerial Dialogue on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action is a session aiming to build momentum and support for a meaningful outcome in Paris in 2015, and to accelerate efforts to build up domestic support for enhancing national action on climate change as a part of an equitable, durable, ambitious and flexible agreement in 2015.
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