Beijing's top climate envoy has said the approval of the United Nations (UN) 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) climate pact in Paris last Saturday will spur the Chinese government's efforts to develop clean, renewable energy technologies throughout the country.

In a press interview, Xie Zhenhua, China's senior envoy to the 11-day Paris summit, acceded that the accord is not perfect, and some of its provisions require improvement.

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"But this doesn't affect the fact that history has taken a huge step forward, and so we are satisfied," Xie said.  "It should provide a lot of impetus for China's own green, low carbon development and as we implement it, it will promote our own domestic sustainable development."

Xie had earlier pointed out that China has made remarkable progress toward reducing its greenhouse gas emissions.  The country's hydropower capacity has doubled, its wind-power capacity has increased 60-fold, and its solar power capacity has risen 280-fold over the past few years, he told CNN in an interview ahead of the Paris talks.   

Beijing's national plan for China's energy sector is aimed at increasing the country's renewable energy production to 15 percent of the country's total energy mix by 2020. The Chinese government hopes to accomplish this objective by controlling the consumption of coal and other fossil fuels; increasing the use of clean energy technologies; and advancing energy pricing reforms to support the country's transition to green, low-carbon energy sources. 

China has consistently maintained that developing nations must be allowed to work toward the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions at their own pace.  In the run-up to the approval of the Paris climate pact, Chinese negotiators had argued that the agreement should be built on the principles of "differentiation, transparency and ambition".  They accomplished this aim, at least in part, according to Reuters. 

The Chinese delegation successfully lobbied to make the accord's five-year review program -- which requires countries to submit to a periodic review of their progress toward limiting their greenhouse gas emissions -- an optional course for developing nations.  

While not entirely pleased with the treaty's provisions for funding for the developing world, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the Paris climate pact is a "new starting point for international cooperation on climate change."

TagsCOP21, Paris climate summit, wind power, Xie Zhenhua, Beijing Air Pollution, global warming, China Air Pollution