From an editorial in the Christian Science Monitor:
Both the US and China – the largest emitters of greenhouse gases – have a goal to make sure those emissions grow more slowly than their economies. Yet both are barely making progress. Of the two, China now seems to want to act more boldly.
On Monday, its prime minister, Wen Jiabao, admitted that China was failing badly to meet a 2010 goal of reducing by 20 percent the amount of energy it takes to generate each dollar of national income. He also said the country missed a goal to reduce pollution discharge.
Not only are such official admissions rare in China, but Mr. Wen also promised the Communist Party-controlled legislature that the government would “resolutely close down” the “backward” steel and iron foundries that burn coal as well as shutter the most inefficient power plants. [Full text]
