News
Key climate negotiator vows "constructive" contribution
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-11-25 13:22
The United States has been under pressure from other nations when the Copenhagen conference draws near, as the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES), aiming to mitigate climate change, would not likely to be passed by the Senate by the end of 2009.
Many US lawmakers worry that the bill, requiring a 20 percent cut in GHG emissions from the 2005 level by 2020, would hurt economy, although the emission reduction target was still viewed as "too weak" to tackle dangerous consequences of climate change, observers said.
Despite all the difficulties ahead, Li said financing offered by developed nations and technological transfer had made some progress, which paved the success for the conference.
"It would be called a successful summit and possibly produce a framework," he said, adding more discussions in detail would be completed in next year's meetings.
However, Li said China "will not accept any separate legal document" that put the Kyoto Protocol aside.
Observers say although some developed countries such as the United States cannot publicly deny the validity of the Kyoto Protocol, they could use various hidden means to make it void and legally useless, and let another legal document, in line with their own interest, replace it.
"Abiding by the Protocol and adhered to the UNFCCC-envisioned 'common but differentiated responsibilities' is a matter of principle," Li said, adding discussions on climate change with EU leaders was expected at the regular China-EU meeting later this month.
Developing countries will also discuss with each other to reach some agreements and learn each other's concern, so that they can join hands and negotiate pertinently at the Copenhagen meeting, experts said.
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Developing and developed nations also made such pre-summit meetings. Taking the world's two largest GHG emitters as an example, China and the US signed a memorandum of understanding encouraging cooperation on climate change and cleaner energy in July.
During US resident Barack Obama's visit to China earlier this month, the two sides singed a joint statement in Beijing after talks between Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao, agreeing that "the transition to a green and low-carbon economy is essential."
