First German-Chinese environment forum

German and Chinese environment ministers Jürgen Trittin and Xie Zhenhua have confirmed their governments' plans to hold the first German-Chinese environmental forum on sustainable development. The two ministers met at a Chinese-European economic congress held in Berlin in September. Trittin observed that since the mid 1990s China has successfully reduced its CO2 emissions by 17% while over the same period the Chinese economy has grown by 36%. He expressed the hope that China will soon ratify the Kyoto protocol on reducing emissions of greenhouse gases, adding that Germany should have a draft law for ratification ready before the end of the year. The environmental forum is expected to take place in spring next year.