In further response to an answer I provided to an earlier question from Jim (the original post can be viewed here) regarding whether or not our hard work to reduce carbon emissions is really worth it if other nations, like China, do not also tow the line, I thought it would be appropriate to follow up, as yesterday, for the first time, China announced a timetable for cutting carbon emissions.

“China’s emissions will not continue to rise beyond 2050,” said Su Wei, director general of the National Development and Reform Commission’s climate change department, according to the Saturday AFP financial times.

While this is an improvement over no timetable, it’s obviously still a ways out. The situation remains, however, that China (still under the category of a developing nation) is in heavy competition with the United States for the spot as the world’s top emitter of greenhouse gases. On a global scale, China’s national emissions comprise 21.5% while the US contributes 20.2%. The climate negotiations in Copenhagen in December (to set standards that will replace the Kyoto Protocol) will likely focus on this issue, although under the UN Framework on Climate Change China’s status as a developing nation does not require the country to set emissions cuts.

And while the China’s overall CO2 emissions are higher than the United States (some would argue the most developed and advanced nation in the world), on a per capita basis China is nowhere near the top – at 4.6 tons per person (http://cdiac.ornl.gov/).

The United States on the other hand, contributes 19 tons per person. So while I certainly don’t think we’re in a position to point our finger on some accounts (we never even ratified the Kyoto protocol) things like an additional 1,231 cars per day on Beijing streets are certainly matters to be examined.

But who’s following in whose footsteps anyway? Beijing implemented their own ‘cash for clunkers’ program back in January, paying citizens as much as $3,600 to give up their heavily polluting vehicles. The initiative also fines individuals 100 yuan ($12) if caught driving a vehicle that doesn’t meet emissions standards within about 6 miles of the city center and adds a fuel tax to pay for infrastructure such as water and road improvement projects.

So even though China’s self-imposed goal might be 2050, a new study from some of the nation’s top climate scientists says that China’s emissions should slow by 2020 and could peak as early as 2030. The report goes on to state that if these goals are met, China’s 2050 CO2 emissions from fossil fuel “could fall to the same emissions levels as in 2005 or even lower”. (http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE57G0C520090817?fee...).

Sarah Gudeman, LEED AP

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