CRI听力:Heated Discussions on China's Green Economy in Summer Davos

Through high-resolution satellite images from NASA, Professor Naomi Oreskes with Harvard University showed participants the global image of climate change.

Having talked with many politicians and business leaders across the world, Professor Oreskes is urging the influential to fight against climate change and build a greener economy.

"I have spent most the last three years in my life talking. I have lost my voice (since) I have talked so much. It has made differences in many areas I think. Look, I mean the majority of American people understand this issue, but I have trouble getting political leaders to move because there is a very powerful force. Fossil fuel industry is one of the richest industries of mankind. That's a big lift. It is a hard job but we need to do it because there are lots of stakes."

This inspiring exploration was just one of the multiple sessions tackling climate change and green economy during this year's meeting of new champions in Dalian from Sep 9th to 11th.

Inside the studio room of the Dalian International Conference Center, one particular session has been focusing on China's clean growth agenda.

Gao Jifan, CEO of the world's leading PV module supplier Trina Solar based in Beijing, is expressing his great hope as a representative from new energy sector, and a bit of concern for China's future green economy.

"Currently, China's non-fossil fuels take up some 10 percent of the country's total energy consumption, and it is in a very rapid growth. Among them, solar energy accounts for about 1 percent. Despite the small amount, China's solar energy consumption has a very fast annual growth rate and its growth range makes up 1/3 of the global increase. However, those high energy-consuming enterprises will face a huge profit loss once emission-reduction targets are fully implemented. As such, whether these enterprises could simply be shut down is an urgent problem to deal with."
 
Back in Oct 2011, China announced plans to establish seven pilot carbon trading systems across the country.

During APEC meeting in Beijing last November, China, for the very first time, has pledged that its emissions will peak around 2030, and it will also increase non-fossil fuels share in its primary energy consumption to around 20 percent.

Despite the ambitious targets, one significant challenge is how governmental officials at the local level could carry out these incentives, especially when facing short-term interests.

Wu Changhua, director of Greater China at The Climate Group, says that the Chinese government is fully aware of the deadlock and that the International community is looking forward to seeing changes happening.

"The government, particularly the national government has taken it as a major issue they need to overcome. So, what is happening now, we set the overall targets. These targets are not only for leadership; they are for local government as well. So, in another five-year plan the government set, if I give the numbers, you take the number. If you fail, very possibly you will be removed from your position. "

In this year' Summer Davos, Professor Lin Boqiang from Xiamen University was also invited as one of key speakers to address China's energy industry. Moving forward, Professor Lin believes that several issues are worth paying attention.

"What I am saying is that renewable is more expensive, in terms of quality, it is not very good compared with coal fired power because they are stable. So therefore there is a need for the government to really pulling somewhere to make sure that the clean energy will be force produced and force procured. Secondly, the renewable sector is under difficulty. They are growing very fast but their profitability is their trouble. I think the government will need to continue looking into why that is the case."

Talking with entrepreneurs during the Summer Davos, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang says China must embrace its global obligations when it comes to combating climate change.

With more commitment from China and U.S, the world's two largest carbon emitter, experts and entrepreneurs are now putting their expectations on the forthcoming UN Climate Change Conference in Paris as a new starting point for essential changes.