China can't afford to give up development for low-carbon
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Due to the increasing demand and the constraints of its energy supply structure, China's greenhouse gas emissions probably will not peak until 2035. Over the next 30 years or so, China will be under enormous pressure to reduce carbon emissions. Its national conditions have made it fundamentally impossible for China to take action in accordance with the low-carbon standards of the Western countries. China can only try its best to take independent action from its own national situation.
It is China's national interests to protect its right to develop. It is unnecessary to talk about low carbon if there is no development or if its development is slowed down.
The response to climate change must be arranged within the framework of sustainable development, which can never be achieved at the price of the continuation of poverty and backwardness of developing countries.
China has 1.3 billion people and the per capita GDP is just over $3,000. According to UN standards, there are 1.5 billion people living below the poverty line worldwide, so it is a difficult task to develop economy and improve people's livelihood. China's low-carbon methods mainly include energy conservation, efficiency, clean fossil energy and developing new energy sources.
Attempting to keep emissions low while still developing is in line with China's national conditions.
It is the right choice for China to arrange low- carbon action within the framework of its development.
The author is a commentator with People’s Daily. forum@globaltimes.com.cn
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