China can take lead, climate envoy says

China is capable of taking a leadership role in combating global climate change as well as being open toward collaborating with all countries to achieve economic restructuring, China’s special envoy for climate change said.

Xie Zhenhua, a veteran climate change negotiator who has participated in United Nations conferences on the subject, said China is taking steps to fulfill pledges made in the Paris climate change agreement of 2015 by promoting industrial upgrades and using more clean energy.

China has pledged to cut its emissions per unit of GDP by 60 to 65 percent by 2030 from its 2005 level, according to the Paris pact.

As part of efforts to implement the goal , China will launch a nationwide carbon trading market on schedule this year, Xie said in an exclusive interview with China Daily. Carbon trading refers to the buying and selling of carbon permits and credits to emit carbon dioxide.

“The carbon trade will ensure transparency and will be operated based on market principles,” he said.

The special envoy said legislation on carbon trading is expected to be enacted by the end of the year.

“China’s firm attitude to engage in global climate change actions will inject confidence amid a rising division between pro-globalization and anti-globalization,” said Xie.

The 68-year-old, who served as China’s environmental protection chief between 1993 and 2005, was appointed as the special envoy for climate change in 2015.

Xie made the comments ahead of the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland. Climate change was expected to attract much attention, since the Paris agreement, reached in 2015, See Climate, page 9

Xie Zhenhua, China’s special envoy for climate change