China says cutting energy use, but behind target

China said Sunday it expects to cut energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product by five percent this year but meeting a pledge to cut consumption by 20 percent by 2010 would be difficult.

Xie Zhenhua, China’s chief negotiator in climate change talks, told a news conference Beijing was trying to fight global warming, but did not propose any new specific emissions targets ahead of world talks on Monday in Bangkok.
“The international community is very concerned about what China will do in the future, so we will put addressing climate change in our economic and social development plan… continuing to make contributions to address climate change,” Xie told reporters.

Energy consumption per unit of GDP was down 3.35 percent from 2005 benchmark levels in the first half of 2009 and the emissions of sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide were down 5.4 percent and 2.46 percent respectively, Xie said.

Xie said that, based on this 3.35 percent decline, China expected to record a five percent cut in energy consumption per unit of GDP for the full year.

He added, however, that the goal of cutting consumption by 20 percent next year faced “many challenges” and would be difficult to achieve.

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