Green clock starts ticking

China's pledge to substantially reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the next decade will not only boost the prospects of a global deal on climate change at next month's conference in Copenhagen, but also is a clarion call from the world's largest developing economy that it's going all out to embrace a low-carbon future.

The country will cut carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by 40 to 45 percent by 2020, taking 2005 as the base year. The government decision, announced yesterday, was voluntary and based on existing national conditions.

Experts agree that the sooner China strikes a balance between its economic growth and GHG emission cuts, the more it would contribute to the fight against global warming.