US, China to combat climate change

                                                    

The US and China, the world’s two largest emitters of greenhouse gases, yesterday announced they were joining forces to share more information on trying to combat climate change.

In a joint statement announced as US Secretary of State John Kerry wrapped up a two-day visit to Beijing, both countries said that they would work together “to collaborate through enhanced policy dialogue, including the sharing of information regarding their respective post-2020 plans to limit greenhouse gas emissions.”

The two sides have also reached an agreement on implementing five initiatives launched under a joint climate change working group.Those initiatives include emission reductions from heavy duty and other vehicles; smart grids; carbon capture utilization and storage; collecting and managing greenhouse gas emissions data; and energy efficiency in buildings and industry.

                                               

China’s cities are often hit by heavy pollution, blamed on coal-burning by power stations and industry, as well as vehicle use, and it has become a major source of discontent with the Chinese Communist Party.Authorities have become more open about pollution levels, in part as a response to public pressure, but officials have implied that it will take years before the situation improves.
The pollution has been linked to hundreds of thousands of premature deaths and has tarnished the image of Chinese cities, including Beijing, which saw a 10 percent drop in tourist visits during the first 11 months of last year.

                                       

After touring a factory which is a joint US-China venture making clean diesel engines for heavy vehicles, Kerry said the two countries were to try to pool their efforts.

“China and the United States will put an extra effort into exchanging information and discussing policies that will help both of us to be able to develop and lead on the standards that need to be announced next year for the global climate change agreement,” Kerry said.

Indiana-based Cummins has joined with China’s Foton to build the US$350 million plant on the edge of Beijing, which will initially produce about 60,000 of the new clean engines a year. When the second phase comes online next year, it is expected to double production of the engines, which will meet new emissions standards set to be adopted by Beijing.


Your Cheap & Quality Hydroponics Growing System from http://www.chicfarm.net