Chinese officials, who say they are considering their country's first absolute cap on emissions, have applauded the U.S. government's proposal for greenhouse gas cuts.
The Obama administration has proposed requiring major cuts in power plant emissions, with a goal of a 30 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels by the year 2030.
"China noticed the U.S. Clean Power Plan. We welcome it and expect it to be passed at a hearing soon," spokesman Hong Lei with China's Foreign Ministry said.
A scientific adviser to the Chinese government said he and other experts are recommending including a similar limit in the country's next five-year plan, set to begin in 2016.
"This is our experts' advice and suggestion," says He Jiankun, vice-chairman of China's National Experts Panel on Climate Change. "The government has not decided on this policy yet."
"We hope to implement this in the 13th 5-year plan, but the plan has not been fixed yet, so it isn't government policy yet."
An absolute cap on the emission of greenhouse gases by the United States and China -- responsible between them for the majority of such emissions -- would be seen as a positive move toward addressing global warming, climate experts say.
"If China would indeed set an absolute national cap on greenhouse gas emissions, this would mean a boost for finding global solutions to tackle the climate challenge," said Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, head of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany.
"It is most remarkable that now both China and the United States seem to be ready to show renewed leadership."
China, largely due to its burning of carbon-heavy coal for its energy needs, passed the U.S. as the biggest producer of greenhouse gas emissions in 2006.
An emissions cap would constitute a distinct policy shift for China, which currently only attempts to link its permissible CO2 levels to the rate of economic growth.
That growth has been huge, so China's absolute emissions have grown to the point where it was responsible for 29 percent of 2012's global emission figures.
China has been experimenting with some carbon caps at a local level; several cities and provinces have implemented cap-and-trade efforts aimed at creating a ceiling for total emissions.
Whether the national government would consider its experts' recommendation of a complete nation-wide cap remains to be seen.
"An absolute target would be easier to implement," Jiankun said.
