Commitment must for climate change

China played a key role in ensuring that the Durban round of negotiations did not end in an impasse

Three important achievements were achieved at the Durban climate change conference: extending the Kyoto Protocol, erecting the Durban Platform to discuss a global emissions scheme to take effect after 2020, and setting up a Green Climate Fund.

The United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, hailed it as an important advance in the battle against global warming.

In Durban, China demonstrated its global accountability and made a robust diplomatic effort to make a breakthrough. The inherent conflicts on the Kyoto Protocol between the umbrella group (Japan, Russia, and the US), and the EU continue to reduce the effectiveness of the Kyoto regime. To begin with, most countries and groupings, including the EU, lowered their expectations for Durban, and some NGOs even prepared for failure there.

However, China proposed to sign up to legally binding carbon emissions cuts beyond 2020 on condition that the developed world fulfill its responsibilities on mitigation measures, adaptation technology and a green fund for poor countries. By doing so, China helped to nut out the firm commitments on extending the Kyoto Protocol and on a new global protocol based on the principle of "common but differentiated".

In particular, the EU has agreed to do its part on an emissions timetable from 2012 to 2017 with no discount. In Durban, critical issues discussed worldwide were put on the table, and China, the US, the EU and developing countries pooled their knowledge to find solutions. China and the EU played a leading role to break the deadlock and reach consensus on a climate change regime that will take effect after next year.

China succeeded in improving its standing on fighting global warming. It showed how much it has contributed to the climate change issue - contributions that have social, political and economic implications.

First, it is clear that China has addressed the challenge in many ways, on policy, legal and technical fronts. The 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) begins to put some flesh on the bones of the 40-45 percent carbon intensity reduction target for 2020 that Beijing laid out in Copenhagen in 2009. That starts with interim goals for 2015 of reducing the country's carbon intensity per unit of GDP by 17 percent and energy intensity by 16 percent. In the near future China will do more to eliminate greenhouse gases.

The following measures will be taken: realistic controls will be placed on total energy consumption; performance assessments on energy conservation targets and responsibilities will be tightened; there will be a push to make advanced technologies and products for energy conservation widely available; the mix of energy that is used will be adjusted; building capacity to adapt to climate change will be intensified; comprehensive and reliable systems for monitoring greenhouse gas emissions, energy conservation and emissions reduction will be set up; scientific research into climate change will be stepped up, as will the research, development and application of low-carbon technologies, gradually leading to a carbon trading system; international cooperation will be vigorously pursued.

The BASIC group (Brazil, South Africa India and China) is acting as a conduit through which developing countries' actions are being coordinate. China made comprehensive efforts to strengthen the internal policy coordination of these new emerging economies through the group. Climate change is a highly uncertain issue, and mitigating greenhouse gases is no less complex. New emerging economies need to improve the way they work with each other on climate change, which brings not only environmental challenges to China, India and other developing countries, but political and economic ones as well.

In Durban, the EU plan for building a new global legal emissions framework was in essence to increase the environmental constraints for developing countries and eventually restrict growth in those countries with tough regulations. China stood together with others in the BASIC group on the principle of "the common but differentiated responsibility", one that looks for a more equitable global framework.

Developed countries have been the main emitters of greenhouse gases and should bear the primary responsibility in trying to solve the problem of climate change. Of course this does not remove the onus on developing countries in taking account of climate change in achieving their own development. Because China and India are among the top five carbon emitters, they will play a role in tackling climate change within the UN framework, and that includes the Durban Platform to discuss a global emissions scheme beyond 2020.

But one thing is clear: China is among the countries that ecologically will suffer the worst effects of climate change. On the other hand, economically China will enjoy unprecedented opportunities in the shift to low-carbon development associated with mitigating climate change. Politically, China is determined that it was in its self-interest to be part of the solution in Durban.

China and others in the BASIC group will continue to offer comprehensive proposals to reduce their emissions, including specific targets and timetables. Together with other recently announced plans, these proposals mark a sea change in the international debate. What happened in Durban was that differences were ultimately set aside so that our planet could have a future.

The author is professor with Shanghai Institutes for International Studies. The views expressed in the article do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.