In what could prove to be a significant breakthrough for international negotiations on a broad-ranging climate change treaty, China stated yesterday that it wants developed nations to commit 1% of their gross domestic product (GDP) to assist poor nations in addressing global warming.
In addition, China said it will present a specific plan for creating a new international mechanismm to spread "green" technology worldwide, while protecting intellectual property rights.
Thus far, China has taken a low-key stance in international talks, which aim to reach an agreement on a successor to the Kyoto Protocol by December 2009. But with this assertion of a specific demand, China may be preparing to take a much-needed leadership role in moving negotiations forward. If met by similar leadership in a new U.S. presidential administration, treaty talks, which have made little progress so far, could make real headway in the months ahead.
Chinese senior official for climate change policy, Gao Guangsheng, announced the demands, stating that current funds to help developing nations are "virtually nothing."
"The present mechanism is unsuited to the needs of addressing climate change," Gao said. "Developed countries have not carried out their relevant commitments."
Today China is expected to issue an official white paper, detailing its concerns and policies on climate change. It will detail its proposal at a conference next week that will assemble representatives from the United States, Europe and other developing countries.
The next round of United Nations-led international climate treaty talks is scheduled for December in Poland.
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