“The Chinese are doing a lot already,” Stern said, as representatives of 175 countries gathered for the latest round of United Nations talks on a new climate treaty. “The Chinese have a lot of policy that they have put in place — energy intensity targets, significant renewable-energy targets; they’ve got auto standards that are good; they’ve got efficiency standards for their top 1,000 enterprises. Yet given the power of their economy and the growth trajectory of their economy, they are going to have to do a lot more.”
China recently overtook the United States as the top emitter of the heat-trapping gases, mainly from burning fossil fuels, that are blamed for global warming. Per capita, however, US emissions are more than four times higher. China says it cannot consider a cap on emissions because it needs to use more energy to stoke its economy and lift millions from poverty.
Separately, in a speech to delegates at the Bonn talks, Stern said he was “immensely impressed” by actions by developing nations such as China, India, South Africa, Brazil and Mexico.
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