China may impose a carbon tax on enterprises in its industrial sector from 2012 to curb carbon dioxide emissions in a bid to encourage energy saving and the development of environmentally friendly industries, reported the Economic Information Daily.

Coal, natural gas and oil companies would have to pay carbon taxes in accordance with their carbon dioxide emissions, while energy saving and environmentally friendly industries are likely to be subsidized with revenue from the tax.

The tax would start at 20 yuan ($3) per ton of carbon dioxide, and reach 50 yuan ($7.3) a ton by 2020.