China, Green | featured news

China acknowledged on Tuesday it is the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases stoking global warming, confirming what scientists have said for years but defending its right to keep growing emissions.

Wal-Mart has always been an intimidating taskmaster in China, extracting the lowest possible prices from suppliers. Last year it raised the bar a notch for these thousands of mostly small manufacturers, requiring that they meet or exceed all local environmental regulations. Wal-Mart gives them tips on how to boost energy efficiency and cut consumption of raw materials. It also delivers a blunt threat: Manufacturers have until 2012 to meet the new standards or risk being cut from the supply chain.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chinese officials agreed Saturday to focus their governments' efforts on stabilizing the battered global economy and combating climate change.