Environmental analysis news: China 'open minded' on climate change causes

China's senior climate change official has stated that his country has adopted "an open attitude" when it comes to the causes of global warming.

Speaking at a summit in Delhi, India, Xie Zhenhua said that more research is needed to support the commonly-held view that carbon dioxide emissions are responsible for climate change.

"We have to have an open attitude to the scientific research," he commented, before adding that there is a theory that climate change is being caused by "cyclical trends in nature".

Mr Xie also stated that there is no doubt that climate change is occurring.

However, his Indian and South African counterparts did not appear to agree with his statement.

China's senior climate change negotiator met with representatives from India, South Africa and Brazil last week in a bid to apply pressure on the US and other developed countries following promises of emissions reduction targets and funding for developing nations at the Copenhagen conference in December.

The group revealed that they will submit details of their voluntary actions to combat climate change to the UN by January 31st, despite the international organisation describing the date as a "soft deadline" last week.

Posted by Joseph Hutton