Although the country has not set a firm cap and a clear target on CO2 emissions, it has put in place a series of measures to help mitigate worldwide climate change.

From 1990 to 2005, China's energy consumption per 10,000 yuan (US$1,250) of gross domestic product (GDP) went down from 2.68 tons of coal equivalent to 1.43 tons.

An accumulated 800 million tons of coal equivalent were reduced by economic structure adjustment and energy efficiency promotion. Based on the emissions ratio of 2.3 tons of CO2 released from 1 ton of standard coal in 1994, it means China cut 1.8 billion tons of CO2 emissions.

Last year, the use of renewable energy, including hydroelectricity, in China was equal to 166 million tons of coal equivalent, accounting for 7.5 per cent of China's total energy consumption. That equals 380 million tons of CO2 emissions saved, Xu said.

China has also taken an active role in the Clean Development Mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol to reduce CO2 emissions with the co-operation of industrialized countries.

Environmental officials from around the world began meeting on Monday in Nairobi, Kenya to discuss a new agreement after the Kyoto Protocol. The forum on global warming continues until next Friday.

1

2

(For more biz stories, please visit Industry Updates)