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1. China urges developed nations to fulfill obligations in fighting climate change
2. China's joint prevention and control tactic effective in fighting AH1N1 epidemic
1. China urges developed nations to fulfill obligations in fighting climate change
BONN, June 12 (Xinhua) -- Negotiators from 183 nations on Friday concluded another round of climate talks with limited progress towards a new UN treaty to curb global warming, but huge differences are still to be ironed out in future negotiations.
Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on Friday said: "A big achievement of this meeting is that governments have made it clearer what they want to see in the Copenhagen agreed outcome. In my view, an ambitious and effective agreed outcome in Copenhagen is in sight."
Negotiators are expected to craft a new UN climate treaty to be clinched in Copenhagen in December to replace the Kyoto Protocol that will expire in 2012. During the June 1-12 talks, negotiators have expanded an initial draft text of about 50 pages to over 200 pages with many competing ideas.
De Boer admitted that the targets of developed countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions discussed at Bonn were still "far away" from the 25 percent to 40 percent cuts by 2020 recommended by scientists.
Apart from deeper emission cuts, developed nations also failed to make commit to providing funds and technologies to help developing countries adapt to climate change.
Li Gao, acting chief of the Chinese delegation, told Xinhua at the end of the second round of the U.N. climate talks that limited progress was made at the latest negotiating session, including working out a draft document comprising various positions of parties involved in the talks.
In the draft document, which serves as the basis for further negotiations, developing countries have made concrete proposals on how to establish an effective mechanism to mitigate climate change and solve the problems of adaptation, technology transfer and funds so as to promote comprehensive, effective and sustained implementation of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, Li said.
"However, this negotiating process also reveals a lack of political will on the part of developed nations to fulfill obligations required by the Framework Convention," he said.
While trying to weaken their targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions and weaken their obligations to provide funds and technologies to help developing countries adapt to climate change, Li said, developed countries are also attempting to pass their burden of emissions reductions to developing countries.
"There is an attempt to obliterate the principle of 'common but differentiated responsibility' and to split up the developing countries," Li pointed out.
Li also noted that the current negotiating text still includes many of developed countries' proposals that are at odds with the principles in the "Bali Road Map" and the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Further negotiations, he added, should adhere to the principles of the Framework Convention, especially the principle of "common but differentiated responsibility." The talks should also focus on addressing the problems of mitigation, adaptation, technology and funds in a balanced way, as required by the "Bali Road Map," he said.
He also called for more transparency and full involvement of developing nations in the talks so as to ensure that the interests of the developing countries are effectively protected.
"Any substantial progress in the next round of talks will most decisively depend on the political will of developed countries," Li told Xinhua.
China issued its National Climate Change Program in 2007, which sets the targets of reducing energy consumption per unit GDP and raising the proportion of renewable energy. "China has already taken concrete actions to tackle climate change while some developed nations are still discussing their future emission-cut targets," Li said.
Before Copenhagen, the UNFCCC will host three more sessions of negotiations. Observers also pin their hope on the upcoming Group of Eight (G8) summit and a possible UN climate summit in September to give a high-level political push towards a final climate treaty.
Source: Xinhua (www.chinaview.cn )
Extended Reading
1A. U.S. envoy speaks highly of China's measures to contain green house gases
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-06/13/content_11535928.htm
1B. China's economy transforming in green revolution
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-06/11/content_11527736.htm
2. China's joint prevention and control tactic effective in fighting AH1N1 epidemic
BEIJING, June 12 (Xinhua) -- China's joint prevention and control tactic has been proved to be powerful, orderly and effective in fighting the spreading of A/H1N1 virus, said Vice-Premier Li Keqiang while he presided over a conference on the issue Friday.
The tactic has helped the nation win time and initiative in the efforts to deal with the epidemic, which has protected the people's health rights, reduced its impacts on economy and society in a maximal way, and provided favorable conditions for the country's development, said the official, who is also member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Political Bureau.
Li conveyed the instructions of Hu Jintao, state president and general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, and Premier Wen Jiabao on the issue. He said the situation of the epidemic has been under control in the country.
He called for seriously implementing the decisions and arrangement of the Party Central Committee and the State Council and adopting countermeasures that are compatible to China's realities.
"Persist on and improve preventive and controlling measures that have been proven effective and do a good job in the preventive and controlling work in a scientific, open and transparent way in accordance with law, so as to ensure people's health and normal production and life, and maintain social harmony and stability," he said.
The official praised the hard efforts and outstanding contribution made by Chinese quarantine officers and medical workers in the prevention and control of the epidemic. The patients found in China have mostly come from abroad and the majority of them are minor cases that have been cured in a relatively short time, he noted.
While the epidemic situation is developing outside of the country and the WHO has raised its flu alert to the highest level, the number of imported flu cases has increased relatively quickly over the past few days, according to the official.
China will try to minimize the number of locally transmitted cases, prevent the spreading of the virus in communities, increase the abilities of handling seriously ill patients, and speed up the pace of studying and producing the vaccine, in order to prepare for future changes of the epidemic, Li said.
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