China Pledges to Get 10 Percent of Power from Renewables by 2010
China pleasantly surprised enviros and politicians alike on Friday with a vow that it will generate 10 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2010. “This commitment was amazing,” said Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, German minister for economic cooperation and development, at an international renewables conference in Bonn, Germany, where the announcement was made. Officials at the meeting from 154 countries pledged to promote renewable energy through a variety of steps, but their joint communique did not set definite targets or timetables, reportedly because the U.S. was opposed to specifics. Still, organizers of what was billed as the world’s largest meeting on renewables declared the gathering a success and happily noted that interest in renewables is climbing this year as a reaction to high oil prices.
