Chinese low-carbon plan is suppose to be issued this year, with a cap on energy consumption at the heart of it. This a major development for China, the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gas. It makes up a quarter of the global total. According to experts, setting an energy limit would add certainty to the country's attempts to rein in the emissions.
The cap has been anticipated for some time but is now thought to emerge later this year. Reuters reported that officials have settled on a total cap of 4.1n tonnes of coal equivalent (TCE) by 2015. This level is 25% higher than last year, much higher than many expected
Analysts are still skeptical and warn that since the plan has yet to be nailed down, it could be delayed by disagreements.
It is clear though that the government since March has been aiming for a more sustainable pace of growth. They are trying to slow emissions growth relative to GDP by 17% as well as improve energy intensity by 16%.
"When you set a cap you obviously are going to set an attitude towards shifting the structure," said Changua Wu, the Climate Group's China Representative. And the chinese government has made it pretty clear that they expect targets to be met.
-Gabrielle Gurian
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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