Western economies to help China's climate targets

China has called upon western economies to help it reach new emission reduction targets.

In addition, it has said that it will do its bit in lowering emissions, as well as helping poorer countries.

China will spend billions on cutting emissions - which it hopes to reduce by between 40 and 45 per cent by 2020.

China had already invested 2 trillion yuan (£200 billion) between 2005 and 2010 in cutting emissions.

It is thought that double this amount will be invested over the next five years.

"If we want to devise a long-term goal on emissions reduction by 2015, it is inevitable that we will have to find a way to allocate emissions. But these allocations must be equitable. It's very important therefore to talk about equity," Xie Zhenhua, head of the Chinese delegation at the Doha climate talks.

According to Mr Zhenhua, it is the responsibility of developed nations to lead the way when it comes to carbon emission reduction.

"Developed countries should take the lead in a large-scale emission reduction," Mr. Zhenhua told reporters at the Doha summit.

"Developed countries are responsible for providing financial and technological support to developing countries and assisting in capacity building to address climate change."

Poorer countries argue the West should lead from the front in cutting greenhouse gases because it is largely responsible for the heating of the planet since industrial times.

Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary general, said: "The climate change phenomenon has been caused by the industrialisation of the developed world. [It is] only fair and reasonable that the developed world should bear most of the responsibility."

Previously, developed countries have pledged huge amounts of money to help less privileged countries tackle their overwhelming global warming problem.

Currently China is the world's top polluter.

Over three million people died from air pollution related illnesses in 2020 and it ranks among the top ten in the list of killer diseases.