ABSTRACT
China is the world’s most populous country and largest coal producer and consumer. At present, it contributes 13.5% of global carbon dioxide (C02) emissions, which makes it the world’s second largest emitter of C02, after the United States, according to the World Energy Council (see Table 1). China’s share in global C 02 emissions is expected to increase and is likely to exceed that of the United States by 2020, if the current trend of economic development in China continues (World Bank, 1994; Energy Information Administration, 1999). In the face of a potentially serious global climate change problem, Annex I countries 1 finally committed themselves to legally binding emissions targets and timetables for reducing their greenhouse gas emissions in December 1997, at a meeting in Kyoto, Japan. Under the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), these industrialized countries together must reduce their emissions of six greenhouse gases by at least 5% below 1990 levels over the commitment period 2008-2012, with the
European Union (EU), the United States and Japan required to reduce their emissions of such gases by 8%, 7% and 6% respectively (UNFCCC, 1997). The Protocol will become effective once it is ratified by at least 55 parties whose C 02 emissions represent at least 55% of the total from Annex I countries in the year 1990.
