(8) China Preparing Kyoto Meeting on Environmental Protection Next Month
[CND, 11/05/97] China was studying proposals combating greenhouse gas
emission, according to Foreign Ministry spokesman Tang Guoqiang, cited by
an AFP report. A meeting in Kyoto, Japan, next month will discuss a possible
international treaty on the issue. Both the US and Japan have suggested
cutting goals for early next century at 1990 level, which according to
Japan's figure is about five percent cut. The EU is asking for 15 percent
cut by each country. China strongly opposes "imposition of obligations on
developing countries," in Tang's words, but is prepared to make effort to
reduce the greenhouse impact.
The US is the biggest emitter producing 22 percent of global greenhouse gas,
followed next by China with 14 percent because of huge quantity of coal
burning. (Hua ZHAO, Guochen WAN)