Dhaka, Nov 26 (bdnews24.com) – China has announced its first firm target to curb greenhouse gas emissions, just a day after the US unveiled a similar proposal, raising hopes ahead of the Copenhagen talks in which commitments from the two top-emitting countries are crucial.

The Chinese government announced its plan Thursday to reduce the intensity of carbon dioxide emissions per unit of national income by 40 to 45 per cent by 2020 compared with the 2005 level.

This was a "voluntary action", Beijing said, "based on our own national conditions … and … is a major contribution to the global effort in tackling climate change."

The United States, less than 24 hours before, had unveiled its proposal to cut greenhouse gases by 2020, and said President Barack Obama would briefly attend the Copenhagen conference, but would skip the main session.

The White House said the US would pledge in Copenhagen to cut its greenhouse gas emissions roughly 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020, a drop of about 3 percent below the 1990 benchmark year used in UN treaties.

The US is the last major industrialised country to offer a target for cutting greenhouse gases in a UN-led drive to slow rising world temperatures that could bring more heat-waves, expanding deserts, floods and rising sea levels.

Declarations by the two major emitters to cut carbon emissions is expected to give renewed hope for a firm deal in December to replace the Kyoto Protocol that expires in 2012.

The Chinese cabinet in a statement said as a responsible developing nation, China advocates global concerted efforts in addressing climate change "through pragmatic and effective international cooperation."

The cabinet reiterated the principled stand for implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) and Kyoto Protocol. Both the UNFCC principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities" and the Bali roadmap authorisation should be observed.

The UNFCC and the Kyoto protocol should be carried out in a comprehensive, effective, and lasting way, and emissions alleviation, adaptation, technological transfer and financial support should be coordinated in a comprehensive way to help bring out positive results for the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference in December in Copenhagen, China's State Council said.

"Appropriate handling of the climate change issue is of vital interest to China's social and economic development and people's benefits, as well as the interests of the people in the world and the world's long-term development," the State Council said in a statement.

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