Beijing - United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) official Helen Clark said Saturday that China's new pledge to reduce carbon intensity is an "important and ambitious target" - but not yet ambitious enough. Speaking at the end of her three-day China visit, the former New Zealand Prime Minister said China's target to reduce carbon intensity 40-45 per cent by 2020 compared with 2005 levels will be "important for generating an agreement" at the upcoming Copenhagen climate summit.
However, she said it will require "enormous effort" to clean up industries, implement new transport systems and design clean, green sustainable cities.
Speaking in her first visit to China since taking over as UNDP administrator in April, Clark said the UNDP will help China mobilise the kinds of expertise, low carbon and adaptation strategies necessary to tackle the challenges of climate change.
She added that the Copenhagen summit is a chance to reach a political agreement that "could be translated over the next six months to one year into a legally binding treaty".
In other areas, Clark said the UNDP will support China's poverty reduction strategy for the next ten years.
She said that one important ongoing challenge for China is providing access to healthcare.
