China targets cap on CO2 emissions in new 5 year plan

China is targeting an absolute cap on its CO2 emissions from 2016 in a move that could significantly limit pollution from the world’s biggest producer of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, according to a government announcement on Tuesday.

The target was announced by the chairman of China's Advisory Committee on Climate Change, He Jiankun, at a conference in Beijing (pictured right) and is part of China's next five-year plan, which will commence in 2016.

He Jiankun said: "The government will use two ways to control CO2 emissions in the next five-year plan, by intensity and an absolute cap.”

The move represents the first time that China will have absolute limits on CO2 emissions, which have risen by 50 per cent from 2005 levels.

The announcement comes just a day after the United States, the world's second-biggest emitter, announced new plans to cut carbon emissions from its power plants.

The Obama administration proposed new environmental policies on Monday with the aim of cutting carbon pollution from existing power plants by 30 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030.

The new rules were formally announced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and they represent the most ambitious plans ever in the U.S to combat climate change.

Christiana Figueres, the United Nations’ climate chief, welcomed the new rules and expressed her hope that they could assist negotiations for a global climate change deal.