Hu pledges to curb carbon emissions

[FT_news]

China plans a 'notable' cutback in the level of carbon dioxide its industries emit as part of international efforts to combat climate change, Hu Jintao, Chinese president, told a UN climate summit

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[forum_admin]

Many US businesses have vocally opposed any agreement to cut emissions without strong commitments from China, fearing they would be undercut by Chinese rivals with lax environmental standards.

Chinese officials fear the country’s exports will face carbon taxes if the government cannot convince the international community it is taking decisive steps. Mr Hu wants to try to disarm critics of the country’s environmental record and avoid becoming the villain at Copenhagen, especially if the talks should fail.

Even if carbon intensity improves, China’s overall emissions could continue to rise indefinitely. For this reason, rich nations also want China to agree a date when its emissions would peak, which China has resisted.