China and COP15

China and the US are the two main players in the world economy. At the same time, China is the largest developing country in the world, with a significant imbalance in economic and social development between urban and rural areas and among different regions.

In terms of per capita GDP (national income), China lags behind more than 100 countries.

China is the world's largest emitter of CO2, followed by the US. Per capita, however, the Chinese levels remain well below those in the US and Europe.

Less than two weeks before the Copenhagen climate summit, China pledged to reduce its so-called "carbon intensity" by 40-45 percent compared to the 2005 level by 2020. That is, China wants to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 40-45 percent per unit of GDP.

Different countries use different ways to calculate their carbon dioxide reductions. By using "carbon intensity" instead of specifying a number of tons of carbon, the Chinese government gives the economy unlimited growth potential as long as the energy efficiency is improved. China has not promised to emit less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and has not accepted any caps on their emissions.

The EU has agreed to reduce its emissions by 20 percent compared to the 1990 level by 2020, moving up to a 30 percent cut if an ambitious agreement is reached at the UN climate summit in Copenhagen in December.

In Copenhagen, US President Barack Obama is to announce a cut "in the range of" 17 percent by 2020 and of 83 percent by 2050, compared to the 2005 level. Expressed in relation to the EU baseline of the 1990 level, Obama’s target reduction amounts to around 4-5 percent.

India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on November 28 that his country is willing to sign an ambitious global emission reduction target. However, India demands a fair system of burden-sharing. Recent political moves from China and the United States to reduce emissions have put great pressure on India. India's emissions are expected to triple over the next 20 years if no measures are taken.

Sources: Reuters, EU Observer, LA Times, SR Ekot, UN.