This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-34355581
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| China to announce climate pledge as Xi visits Washington | China to announce climate pledge as Xi visits Washington |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| China's President Xi Jinping is set to unveil a landmark pledge on climate change and curbing harmful emissions, White House Officials have said. | China's President Xi Jinping is set to unveil a landmark pledge on climate change and curbing harmful emissions, White House Officials have said. |
| Mr Xi and US President Barack Obama held informal talks at the White House on Thursday evening, where they also discussed Iran's nuclear programme. | Mr Xi and US President Barack Obama held informal talks at the White House on Thursday evening, where they also discussed Iran's nuclear programme. |
| Mr Xi, on his first state visit to the US, will be hosted at the White House for a banquet on Friday. | |
| The visit has been overshadowed by ongoing cyber security disagreements. | The visit has been overshadowed by ongoing cyber security disagreements. |
| Mr Xi is in Washington DC for the latest leg of his week-long US tour. | |
| Xi Jinping's US visit | Xi Jinping's US visit |
| A White House official told reporters that Mr Xi would announce on Friday plans to launch a national carbon emissions trading scheme in 2017. | A White House official told reporters that Mr Xi would announce on Friday plans to launch a national carbon emissions trading scheme in 2017. |
| The "cap-and-trade" scheme would see Chinese companies charged to emit pollutants beyond a certain level. | The "cap-and-trade" scheme would see Chinese companies charged to emit pollutants beyond a certain level. |
| China would also make a "very substantial financial commitment" to developing nations to help them move to low-polluting technologies, the Associated Press news agency quoted the official as saying. | |
| The expected Chinese announcement follows on from a joint US-China climate pledge in late 2014. | |
| Then, Mr Obama set a new goal of reducing US levels by between 26%-28% by 2025, compared with 2005 levels. China did not set a specific target, but said emissions would peak by 2030. | |
| Analysis: Matt McGrath, BBC science correspondent | |
| Setting up a national carbon trading scheme is a big step forward for China, but its immediate impact will be political rather than practical. | |
| The announcement draws the sting from one of the biggest objections put up by Mr Obama's Republican opponents: that the US shouldn't sign up to strict carbon limits while its biggest trading partner does nothing. | |
| The impact of the cap-and-trade scheme on the ground, or in the air in China, is more difficult to predict. China has seven regional pilot schemes now running but they have had teething difficulties and Friday's announcement will see the national system come into force a year later than originally planned. There are worries too about corruption and oversight. | |
| And Europe's experience with a carbon trading scheme has been fraught - too many permits given away for free have diluted both the carbon price and the impact of the scheme. Despite this, the Chinese announcement puts flesh on the bones of their plans to peak carbon by 2030. And that will make a strong global climate treaty in Paris this December more likely. | |
| The two countries together produce about 45% of the world's carbon dioxide. | The two countries together produce about 45% of the world's carbon dioxide. |
| The announcement comes ahead of a major UN climate change summit in Paris later this year, and is one of the few breakthroughs expected during Mr Xi's visit. | The announcement comes ahead of a major UN climate change summit in Paris later this year, and is one of the few breakthroughs expected during Mr Xi's visit. |
| Little progress is expected on contentious issues including cyber security and China's territorial ambitions in South East Asia. | Little progress is expected on contentious issues including cyber security and China's territorial ambitions in South East Asia. |
| Mr Xi is arriving in Washington from Seattle, where he met leaders of the business and technology world, promising to strengthen protections on intellectual property and clear obstacles to investment in China. | Mr Xi is arriving in Washington from Seattle, where he met leaders of the business and technology world, promising to strengthen protections on intellectual property and clear obstacles to investment in China. |
| The US has recently alleged that the Chinese state was behind a massive data security breach of government databases as well as attacks on private firms, and Mr Obama has said the issue risks putting "significant strains" on the important relationship. | The US has recently alleged that the Chinese state was behind a massive data security breach of government databases as well as attacks on private firms, and Mr Obama has said the issue risks putting "significant strains" on the important relationship. |
| Mr Xi said in Seattle China was "a strong defender of cyber security" as well as a "victim of hacking", though promised to work with the US on the issue. | Mr Xi said in Seattle China was "a strong defender of cyber security" as well as a "victim of hacking", though promised to work with the US on the issue. |
| White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters on Thursday: "We put more stock in their actions than their words." | White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters on Thursday: "We put more stock in their actions than their words." |