The Kyoto Protocol was extended by eight years until 2020 at the Doha Climate Conference in Qatar earlier this month, averting a new setback to two decades of UN efforts that have failed to halt growing global greenhouse gas emissions, but the agreement was undermined by the withdrawal of Russia, Japan and Canada, so its signatories now account for only 15% of global emissions. A package of decisions, known as the Doha Climate Gateway, would also postpone until next year a dispute over demands from developing nations for more cash to help them cope with global warming. China teamed up with other emerging economies to push for a clear timetable on a promised tenfold increase in financial aid – USD100 billion a year by 2020, but the demands met strong opposition from the U.S., Europe and other developed nations.

The two-week conference was briefly extended to allow an agreement to be reached. The core issue was that developed countries should “substantially” reduce emissions, in line with “common but differentiated responsibilities” and set targets for a second-commitment period for the Kyoto Protocol, said China’s top climate negotiator Xie Zhenhua, who is also Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). The first commitment period ends at the end of December. The Chinese delegation had hoped to reach a legally binding second-commitment period. “Developed countries that didn’t join the protocol or decided to opt out of any new commitments need to take comparable reduction measures by setting specific targets,” said Xie. As China’s per-capita emissions are close to, or almost equal to, the global average, the country is facing challenges in coping with climate change and must adopt a greener, low carbon path, he said. Prior to the conference, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) released the Green Book of Climate Change.

Xie Zhenhua added that China’s carbon emissions for each unit of economic growth are expected to fall by 5% this year, the biggest drop since it set a carbon intensity goal to curb greenhouse gases three years ago. Speaking on the sidelines of United Nations climate talks in Doha, he said China had cut carbon intensity by 3.4% in the first nine months, thanks to increased energy efficiency and renewable energy gains. Energy experts said this year’s prolonged economic slowdown was probably a major contributor to the significant drop in carbon intensity. China fell short of the annual goal of reducing carbon intensity by 3.5% last year, recording a drop of a little more than 2%.