China will improve energy efficiency 40-45 percent by 2050, compared to 2005, Chinese officials announced 26 November, without offering any details. By improving energy efficiency, China also reduces CO2 emissions.Chinese leaders almost immediately cautioned that their energy goals were domestic, and asked the world to trust them. Xie Zhenhua, the Chinese climate policy expert who announced the goals said, “Although this is a domestic voluntary action, it is binding. As we’ve made this commitment, well, Chinese people stick to their word.”

US experts have welcomed the move, saying that China now joins other major economic powers in announcing plans for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions ahead of the Copenhagen conference on climate change that opens 7 December.

Some experts warn that the Chinese will not want to be held to account, and point out the difficulties in measuring, reporting and verifying progress on those commitments.

Links to other sites: AFP, COP 15, Reuters, Xinhua

US President Barack Obama 25 November became the latest head of state to say he will be in Copenhagen for the climate conference, COP 15, in mid-December. Obama’s staff announced his travel plans as part of a statement that he is personally committed to cutting US emissions by 17 percent below 2005 levels during the next 10 years, and by 83 percent by 2050. The US House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress, have passed a climate change bill, but the Senate, the upper house has not. A formal US commitment will require full congressional approval in the form of a jointly agreed bill.

China’s envoy to the conference, Yu Qingtai, announced Thursday 26 November that his country will go to COP 15 determined to have the same framework that was part of the Kyoto agreement, which the Copenhagen summit is designed to replace. Kyoto called for 37 wealthy countries to make commitments to cutting Co2 emissions, but not developing countries. The US was the only major country not to sign the Kyoto agreement.

Links to others sites: COP 15, CNN, Financial Times, Los Angeles Times, White House blog