China's carbon emissions may peak around 2030

New Delhi, August 18 (ANI): A panel of experts have determined that China's carbon emissions output could peak around 2030 if the government continues to be serious about "strengthened measures" to improve energy efficiency and if it accelerates exploration of renewable energy.

According to the panel from the National Development and Reform Commission and the Development Research Center of the State Council, with the right policies, emissions growth could slow after 2020, with a peak around 2030.

This is the first time a Chinese think-tank has officially announced when it thinks China's carbon emissions will peak.

The international community has closely watched the country's carbon emissions curve because China and the US are the top two carbon emissions countries in the world.

The panel has advised China to invest significantly in low-carbon technology research and development, saying the strategy of developing such technology is "a stone killing two birds".

"Only by using advanced low-carbon technologies can China's greenhouse gas emissions peak around 2030; otherwise, the peak will be delayed and we don't want to see the latter scenario," said Jiang Kejun, a leading economist of the panel.

If the peak happens around 2030, the huge investment in low-carbon technologies could keep China's economy growing at a fast pace and make China a global leader in cutting-edge technologies.

"I think China will become a major supplier of nuclear, wind and hydropower technologies and electricity transmission by 2030," said Jiang. "And that should be a strategic goal for the Chinese government to pursue," he added.

If China can achieve these goals, by 2050, its carbon emissions from fossil fuel "could fall to the same emissions levels as in 2005 or even lower", the report said.

Jiang said that the Chinese government has been "on the right track" in making policy decisions to develop low-carbon technologies as new economic growth engines while countries worldwide are working on a plan by October to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which is set to expire in 2012. (ANI)