China is on course to obtain 20% of its energy from wind and solar sources by 2020—a transformation that would make the country the world leader in renewables. Beijing is ramping up its targets for clean energy, helped by the $590 billion stimulus package passed last year, a senior government official told the Guardian. "Due to the impact of global financial crisis, people are all talking about green and sustainable development," he said.
China has been under substantial pressure from the US and Europe to cut its emissions, and the country's reluctance to act has contributed to recent stalemates at climate talks. But ahead of the crucial Copenhagen summit later this year, China now says it's open to limits on carbon emissions relative to economic output. The US and China alone account for about half of the world's greenhouse gas.