Beijing makes its case: President Hu's chief adviser on climate change argues that China has instituted pro-active reforms.

• Author: Xie, Zhenhua
• Position: Hu Jintao

Climate change is a serious challenge to humanity and sustainable development, which requires both proactive responses and concerted effort by the international community.

China attaches great importance to tackling climate change. In 2007, it established the National Leading Group on Climate Change, headed by Premier Wen Jiabao. That same year, China issued its National Climate Change Program, the first ever by a developing country.

In its National Climate Change Program, China set all objective to lower its energy consumption per unit of GDP by 20 percent or so of 2005 levels by 2010, and in its Mid- and Long-Term Plan for the Development of Renewable Energy, China also sets an objective of increasing the proportion of renewable energy in the primary energy mix to 10 percent by 2010, and to 15 percent by 2020.

To achieve such objectives, China has adopted a series of effective policies and measures, achieving remarkable progress. First, China succeeded in lowering its energy consumption per unit of GDP by 1.79 percent, 4.04 percent, and 4.59 percent respectively for 2006, 2007, and 2008, which strongly suggests the prospect of meeting the 20 percent objective by 2010.

Second, between 2006 and 2008, China shut down small thermal power-generation units with a total installed capacity of 34.21 GW, phased out 60.59 million tons of backward steel-making capacity, 43.47 million tons of iron-smelting capacity, and 140 million tons of cement-production capacity. All of these steps reduced pollution markedly.

Third, between 2000 and 2008, China increased its wind power generating capacity from 340 MW to 10 GW, hydropower from 79.35 GW to 163 GW, and nuclear power from 2.1 GW to 9.1 GW. It has also made great efforts to reduce agricultural and rural greenhouse gas emissions. Indeed, by the end of 2007, more than 26.5 million rural households were using household biogas digesters, thereby avoiding carbon dioxide emissions by 44 million tons.

Fourth, China has increased its carbon sinks by promoting reforestation. China's forest coverage rate increased from 12 percent in the early 1980s to 18.21 percent today.

For this year, China will complete the formulation of provincial climate change programs throughout the country, promoting effective implementation of the National Climate Change Program.

Furthermore, in China's economy stimulus package, [yen] 210 billion yuan is allocated for energy conservation, pollutants reduction, and ecosystem protection...