US and China flop, again, on emissions reduction as Copenhagen climate summit nears
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- kyledanderson
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After making target goals ahead of the 192-nation climate change summit in Copenhagen, the United States and China have produced nothing more than headlines.
Wednesday, the White House vowed that President Obama, who is personally attending the summit, will submit his proposal that pledges U.S. emissions to be cut 17 percent from 2005 levels by 2020. Over the pledges 10 year plan, the U.S. would effectively reduce emissions by 41 percent.
After hosting India and other major developing countries for a climate summit, China announced that Beijing will cut “carbon intensity”, a measure of carbon dioxide emissions per unit of production, by roughly 40 to 45 percent by 2020, compared with 2005 levels.
Swedish Prime Minister and European Union President, Fredrik Reinfeldt said that the Chinese bid was a move in the right direction, but didn't feel it was a large enough commitment for change.
"We feel that China could do more and we also hope to get further commitments," Reinfeldt states on his EU presidency website.
United Nation officials unofficially stated that China was on the track to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 13 percent. Not due to their proactive plans, but this would be reached by absolutely no action at all.
President Hu’s government was expected to place more pressure on India, a country not pledging any cuts.
However, Canada's own Prime Minister, Stephen Harper has opted out of attending Copenhagen even after his Conservative government pledged to cut greenhouse gases by 20 percent by 2020 from 2006 levels, which is quite more drastic than Chinese and U.S. pledges.
The U.S. plan to cut emissions have seem to not be as impressive to some, Denmark's Climate Minister Connie Hedegaard said, "but the U.S. seems to know that the price for coming late is that the pathway for reductions after 2020 will be extra steep."
However, she stated later, that "Governments from all over the world are delivering before the climate conference," Further stating, "All across the globe, things are moving."
Wednesday, the White House vowed that President Obama, who is personally attending the summit, will submit his proposal that pledges U.S. emissions to be cut 17 percent from 2005 levels by 2020. Over the pledges 10 year plan, the U.S. would effectively reduce emissions by 41 percent.
After hosting India and other major developing countries for a climate summit, China announced that Beijing will cut “carbon intensity”, a measure of carbon dioxide emissions per unit of production, by roughly 40 to 45 percent by 2020, compared with 2005 levels.
Swedish Prime Minister and European Union President, Fredrik Reinfeldt said that the Chinese bid was a move in the right direction, but didn't feel it was a large enough commitment for change.
"We feel that China could do more and we also hope to get further commitments," Reinfeldt states on his EU presidency website.
United Nation officials unofficially stated that China was on the track to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 13 percent. Not due to their proactive plans, but this would be reached by absolutely no action at all.
President Hu’s government was expected to place more pressure on India, a country not pledging any cuts.
However, Canada's own Prime Minister, Stephen Harper has opted out of attending Copenhagen even after his Conservative government pledged to cut greenhouse gases by 20 percent by 2020 from 2006 levels, which is quite more drastic than Chinese and U.S. pledges.
The U.S. plan to cut emissions have seem to not be as impressive to some, Denmark's Climate Minister Connie Hedegaard said, "but the U.S. seems to know that the price for coming late is that the pathway for reductions after 2020 will be extra steep."
However, she stated later, that "Governments from all over the world are delivering before the climate conference," Further stating, "All across the globe, things are moving."
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- groups:
- Green
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- tags:
- Climate Change, Copenhagen, Emissions, greenhouse
