NDRC: China-US climate commitments meaningful to the world

The commitments of China and the United States to jointly combat climate change will be positive for sustainable development across the world, China's economic planner said on Saturday.

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said the commitments showed the resolve of the world's largest developing and developed economies to realize their domestic climate goals.

The two sides on Friday reiterated their resolve to work together and with others toward an ambitious, successful outcome following the upcoming climate conference in Paris, according to a joint statement issued during Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to the United States.

China will lower carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by 60-65 percent from the 2005 level by 2030 and establish a 20 billion yuan (3 billion U.S. dollars) fund to help other developing countries combat climate change, said the presidential statement.

China regards the battle against climate change a major opportunity to accelerate its economic restructuring and achieve sustainable development, the NDRC said.

The government will make more powerful moves to green the economy, improving industrial structure, promoting low-carbon energy consumption and encouraging carbon emissions permit trading, the NDRC said.