A senior government official on Monday downplayed the prospects of China enacting imminent cuts to carbon emissions, Reuters reported. Sun Cuihua, deputy director of the climate change office at the National Development and Reform Commission, said it would be a simplification to suggest China would impose an absolute cap on greenhouse gas emissions from 2016. No decision had yet been taken on a cap and the timing of such a measure was under discussion, she said. She spoke after a climate change advisor to the government said last week that China could impose a cap when the next five-year plan enters into force in 2016.