国内英语新闻:Commentary: Developed countries key to success at Cancun climate conference

Additionally, China is still in the middle of industrialization and urbanization, which inevitably generates significant carbon emissions, while developed countries have already closed this page.

Though extravagant consumption, such as driving high emission cars, also exists in China, most Chinese only generate CO2 emissions for basic subsistence.

Of note, a new trend has surfaced that developed countries have used emission controls as an excuse to create favorable rules in international trade.

The American House of Representatives passed in June 2009 the Clean Energy and Security Act, which will impose duties on imports from countries that are not subject to emission caps, largely developing countries, beginning in 2020.

The European Union rolled out similar measures as well. Beginning in 2012, over 2,000 airlines will be required to join the EU Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS). By then, all airplanes flying over Europe will have to pay extra based upon their emissions of greenhouse gases.

If these measures are purely designed for the sake of the environment, developed countries might as well start with cutting back on their carbon emissions, rather than obliging others to pay the bill.

At the 5th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change hosted in October in China, BASIC countries -- China, India, Brazil and South Africa --, a bloc of four large developing countries, urged developed nations to fulfill their obligations and help developing countries fight global warming.

The four countries, in a joint statement, called on developed nations to commit to more ambitious emission reduction targets under the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol.

According to the statement issued by BASIC countries at the meeting, the key to enable success in Cancun is the allocation of the 30-billion-U.S.-dollar "fast start fund" that supports developing countries.

The statement notes that the funding must be "new and additional" to the existing funds and official development aid.

Xie Zhenhua, deputy director of China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said at a Tuesday press conference held in Beijing that developed countries should shoulder their responsibilities according to the Bali Roadmap and Copenhagen Agreement, and take the lead in global emission reduction efforts, which is a principle that must be adhered to.