China 'very disappointed' with slow climate change summit

China has promised to stick to its climate change promises regardless of the outcome of the Copenhagen climate change summit currently taking place in Denmark.

The Chinese Ambassador Keyuan Zhang told the Maltese press yesterday that the Communist government was "very disappointed" with the slow progress at the summit.

He said China's promise to reduce the intensity of carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP in 2020 by 40 to 45 per cent, compared with the level of 2005, was a "huge feat". But it would go ahead despite what other countries decided to do.

"Between 1990 and 2006, developed countries only managed to reduce their carbon intensity per unit of GDP by 26 per cent, so ours is an ambitious target," he said.

China has also promised to increase forest coverage and its use of renewable energy. He added that China was determined to help out small island states like Malta to reach their targets.

There was "great potential" to develop a mutually beneficial relationship with Malta, since China was one of the largest producers of windmills and solar panels.

Speaking about the EU's decision to donate €7 billion to helping developing countries tackle climate change, Mr Zhang said this was a very good start "but not enough".

When asked whether he considered China to be a developed or a developing country, he said that at the Copenhagen summit it was listed as a developing country. He added that the salaries of Chinese people were lower than those in Malta and some 150 million people were below the poverty line.

However, he added that the intensity of China's action targets was no less than any developed country. Critics, however, have pointed out that China's "carbon intensity" formula - which means that emissions cuts are tied to economic activity - could mean that it will not make a net cut in its emissions.

In contrast with the EU's target to cut emissions by 20 per cent by 2020 over 1990 levels, for instance, the carbon intensity formula could mean that if the Chinese economy continues to expand, it will be producing more not less carbon.

However, the ambassador insisted that climate change was the result of uncontrolled greenhouse gas emissions by developed countries in the long process of industrialisation.

"It is a major challenge to humanity which requires cooperation and joint efforts of all countries through common but differentiated responsibilities."

He criticised developed countries for not doing enough to reduce their own emissions and provide funds and technology to developing countries.

His press conference was held as the UN conference was halted after a protest by African countries and the G77 group of developing nations.

They claimed developed countries were trying to back out of the Kyoto Protocol on carbon emissions, but negotiations later resumed.