China okays 45% cut in carbon emissions

China's ruling Communist Party on Friday endorsed the government's decision to cut carbon emissions by up to 45 per cent and improve energy efficiency.

Pledging to "actively" deal with climate change next year by implementing measures to cut its carbon intensity and improve energy efficiency, a meeting of the Politburo decided to step up construction of major projects related to energy conservation and environmental protection in 2010.

More support in terms of investment should be given to promote energy saving and emissions reduction, the meeting, chaired by chaired by President Hu Jintao, also General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, decided, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

The meeting came a day after China's State Council, the Cabinet, announced the country aimed to cut the amount of carbon dioxide it emitted per unit of gross domestic product by 40 to 45 per cent from 2005 levels by 2020.

The decision of China, the world's top emitter of greehouse gases from human activity, comes ahead of December's Copenhagen climate summit.

Despite pressures and difficulties, China would adhere to the targets, Xie Zhenhua, Vice Minister in Charge of the National Development and Reform Commission, said.

China overtook the United States as the world's biggest producer of carbon dioxide due to its soaring demand for coal to generate electricity and a surge in cement production, to push its recorded emissions for 2006 beyond those of the US.