BEIJING, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- A high-ranking United Nations official on Saturday said China's decision to dramatically cut its carbon emissions would inject a momentum in leading up to the upcoming Copenhagen climate summit.
"That is a very important and ambitious target... The announcement injects a momentum in leading up to the Copenhagen summit," United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Administrator Helen Clark said at the end of her three-day China visit.
Clark made the comments on China's latest pledge to cut carbon dioxide emissions per unit of gross domestic product by 40 to 45 percent by 2020 compared with levels in 2005.
Clark said China was determined to meet the target and would look for support and ideas in meeting those targets.
"We stand ready to mobilize expertise and support which will help china with that," Clark said.
Together with the country's emissions cut goal, "Premier Wen Jiabao and his substantial delegation also add momentum to the summit," Clark said.
She, however, downplayed the outcome of the Copenhagen summit, which will run from Dec. 7 to Dec. 18, saying major countries' aspiration "is a political document" rather than a legally binding treaty.
The UN climate change talks in Copenhagen had been widely seen as an opportunity for world leaders to strike a deal to succeed the carbon-capping Kyoto Protocol that expires in 2012.
"Developed countries as a group have not yet got ambitious enough offers on the table," she said. "Part of a successful climate negotiation will have to be ambitious enough emissions reduction targets from the developed countries."
Even if a political agreement comes out at Copenhagen, it will probably take another six months to a year to translate the document into a legally binding treaty, Clark said.
ENVIRONMENT, ECONOMY GO HAND IN HAND
Clark dismissed the speculation that China's new carbon cut goal would slow down its economic growth.
"I think China has calculated correctly that going green is entirely consistent with lifting living standards and developing economically," she said.
"If you don't go green, the chance of seeking a sustainable development in the future will be diminished," Clark said.
The message registered here, Clark emphasized, was that there would be considerable economic and business opportunities in going green.
In 2030, as estimated, 350 million more people will live in Chinese cities as compared to 2005, according to a UNDP report.
"Accommodating them presents a unique opportunity to build green, urban communities from the start," Clark said.
As the world's third biggest economy and the biggest developing country, China is pursuing the policy of "seeking a balance between economic growth and environmental protection, which is an important international message," the UNDP chief said.
As one of China's first development partners since the reform and opening-up drive in 1978, UNDP is now assisting China as it seeks to use more renewable energy.
"This is an area where China can be a world leader, exporting knowledge and technology, and demonstrating that economic growth is fully compatible with protecting our planet," Clark said.
"It is important to integrate climate and broader environmental considerations into our development thinking and planning," she said.
"Spending our resources responsibly means factoring climate risk into future development investments."
SOUTH-TO-SOUTH COOPERATION
On her maiden visit to China since assuming office as UNDP chief in April, Clark said another major issue in her discussion with Chinese leaders was a strategic partnership on south-south cooperation.
As this year marked the three-decade cooperation between UNDP and China, Clark said her agency would like to lift the long-term development relationship to a new level of strategic partnership.
"Under this new partnership, UNDP and China could work together to carry out trilateral development cooperation for the benefit of other countries, particularly in Africa, " she said.
The UNDP chief recognized China as one of Africa's most significant partners, lending support to African countries in areas as such as infrastructure development, agriculture and education.
At a conference in Egypt early this month, China announced 10 billion U.S. dollars in preferential loans to Africa over the next three years.
"China's experiences in poverty reduction, clean energy, green economy, and climate adaptation could constitute priority areas for such South-South partnership," she said.
UNDP's longstanding presence across Africa made it a strong partner to work there with China in mitigating and adapting to climate change, reducing poverty and achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and strengthening the private sector, Clark said.
As the world's largest multilateral development organization, UNDP now operates poverty reduction programs in 166 countries and has offices in 135 countries.
"Scaling up our joint work on South-South cooperation is a particular priority for me," she said.
