Beijing: China, dubbed as the "the factory of the world," today said its emissions almost equalled that of the US, the world's biggest emitter of carbon dioxide, the greenhouse gas blamed for the bulk of global warming.

China s emissions of carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas from fossil fuel burning, accounted for eight per cent of the world total from 1904 to 2004.

"According to our data, China s current total emissions are almost as the same as that of the United States," Xie Zhenhua, vice director of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) Xie told reporters here while explaining a government white paper on climate change.

"Whether or not we have surpassed the U. S. In emissions is in itself not important. We should look at the issue fairly and from a historic view," he was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

"If our total emissions were at the same level, the per capita emissions in China, home to a population of 1.3 billion, would be one-fifth of that of the U. S.," he said.

In addition, some 20 per cent of China s greenhouse gas emissions resulted from the production of its exports to developed countries as it is the "factory of the world".

China has acknowledged that it was difficult to control greenhouse gas emissions because of its industrialisation process and its coal-dominated energy mix.

Xie said the country was in the process of industrialisation and urbanisation when emissions were usually high, a natural rule experienced by rich nations earlier.

"To advance further towards its development objective, China will strive for a rational growth of energy demand," the white paper said.
Source : PTI