China wins praise at Bali conference
Updated: 2007-12-07 21:03
Bali - China is winning praise at an international climate conference for its efforts to clean up and support anti-global warming moves.
"I think China is taking climate change seriously, and that's a good sign that there will be a good outcome here in Bali," said Artur Runge-Metzger, head of the European Commission delegation at the conference on the Indonesian island.
Even hard-to-please environmental groups are praising Beijing, though China, which relies heavily coal burning techniques, has a lot more to do.
Environmental watchdog Germanwatch noted the Chinese government has enacted policies promoting renewable energy, including mandates that solar, wind, hydroelectric and other forms of renewable energy provide 10 percent of the nation's power by 2010. It also has ordered key industries to reduce energy consumption by 20 percent.
China has taken the lead among developing countries in calling for wealthier nations to speed up the transfer of cleaner technologies to emerging economies to help shift away from fossil fuels.
Hans Verolme, director of WWF International's Global Climate Change Program, attributed China's position to concerns over energy security and a recognition that climate change is already having an impact on the country, with worsening drought, water shortages and floods.
"They want to show to the world it understands and it wants to do what is necessary to stop dangerous climate change, " Verolme said.
More than 10,000 people from around the world are attending the Dec. 3-14 gathering charged with launching negotiations that will lead to an international accord to succeed the 1997 Kyoto Protocol on global warming.
Kyoto, which was rejected by the United States, commits three dozen industrialized countries to cut their greenhouse gases an average of 5 percent below 1990 levels between next year and 2012, when it expires.
UN climate chief Yvo de Boer told reporters discussions over a post-Kyoto agreement were going well and that "the mood is good.
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