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Reacting to the study released claiming China emitted more
carbon-dioxide than the United States in 2006, Greenpeace Australia
Pacific energy campaigner Catherine Fitzpatrick said:
“China’s carbon pollution has understandably increased in line with economic growth and their need to address poverty and development concerns.
“China has made it clear that it is unfair for them to take responsibility for the developed world’s pollution, when rich nations are not doing enough to reduce their own emissions.
“What the west has done is export a great slice of its carbon footprint to China and make China the world's factory. This trend has kept the price of projects in the west down but may lead to a climate disaster in the long term.
"Instead of pointing the finger, John Howard, and the leaders of other developed nations, should be helping China by sharing clean energy technologies and know-how.
“Using China as an excuse to not reduce Australia’s greenhouse emissions is like saying people shouldn’t quit smoking whilst cigarettes are still on sale.
“If you ignore the Australian Government’s spin, you find that China has an impressive range of energy programs including: a 15 per cent renewable energy target by 2020; an ambitious plan for energy intensity to drop by 20% by 2010; and has reduced the percentage of coal in primary energy from 76.2 per cent in 1990 to 68.9 per cent in 2005.
“John Howard cannot blame the Chinese for emissions whilst sitting back and letting coal use and energy emissions in Australia sky-rocket out of control. That really is the pot calling the kettle black.
“If our politicians were serious about climate change they would phase out coal expansions and quickly bring in clean renewable energy, which it could export to China.”
According to the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (MNP) China's 2006 carbon dioxide emissions surpassed those of the USA by eight percent. If accurate, it would be the first time China’s emissions have surpassed those of America.
“China’s carbon pollution has understandably increased in line with economic growth and their need to address poverty and development concerns.
“China has made it clear that it is unfair for them to take responsibility for the developed world’s pollution, when rich nations are not doing enough to reduce their own emissions.
“What the west has done is export a great slice of its carbon footprint to China and make China the world's factory. This trend has kept the price of projects in the west down but may lead to a climate disaster in the long term.
"Instead of pointing the finger, John Howard, and the leaders of other developed nations, should be helping China by sharing clean energy technologies and know-how.
“Using China as an excuse to not reduce Australia’s greenhouse emissions is like saying people shouldn’t quit smoking whilst cigarettes are still on sale.
“If you ignore the Australian Government’s spin, you find that China has an impressive range of energy programs including: a 15 per cent renewable energy target by 2020; an ambitious plan for energy intensity to drop by 20% by 2010; and has reduced the percentage of coal in primary energy from 76.2 per cent in 1990 to 68.9 per cent in 2005.
“John Howard cannot blame the Chinese for emissions whilst sitting back and letting coal use and energy emissions in Australia sky-rocket out of control. That really is the pot calling the kettle black.
“If our politicians were serious about climate change they would phase out coal expansions and quickly bring in clean renewable energy, which it could export to China.”
According to the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (MNP) China's 2006 carbon dioxide emissions surpassed those of the USA by eight percent. If accurate, it would be the first time China’s emissions have surpassed those of America.
