Big emitters signal support for Copenhagen Accord

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The United States, the world's top industrial emitter of greenhouse gases, on Thursday joined other countries in support of the "Copenhagen Accord" on combating climate change.

Governments are meant to tell the United Nations by Sunday if they want to be associated with the accord, worked out last month, and submit their plans for curbing greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. The deadline is flexible.

The accord, falling far short of many countries' hopes, seeks to limit global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) over pre-industrial times, with the prospect of an annual USD100 billion in climate aid for the poor from 2020.

Worked out by big emitters led by China and the United States, the deal was not formally adopted by the UN summit on Dec. 19 after objections by a few developing nations. That triggered a demand for all to take sides by the end of January.

Following are plans announced since Copenhagen (followed by percentage of world emissions in brackets -- based on US Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Centre data of emissions from fossil fuels and cement production):

CHINA (22 percent), INDIA (6), SOUTH AFRICA (1), BRAZIL (1) -- known as the BASIC group. Environment ministers said after a meeting in New Delhi on Jan. 24 they would respect the deadline to submit plans for 2020 emissions and challenged donors to deliver on aid promises.

Their past pledges are:

-- China said on Nov. 26 it would cut the amount of carbon produced per unit of economic output by 40 to 45 percent below projected growth levels by 2020 from 2005. The "carbon intensity" goal would let emissions keep rising, but more slowly than economic growth.

-- India said on Dec. 3 it would cut "carbon intensity" by between 20 and 25 percent by 2020 from 2005.

-- South Africa offered on Dec. 6 to slow the growth of its emissions by 34 percent below projected levels by 2020, conditional on a broad international deal and aid.

-- Brazil reaffirmed on Dec. 28 a goal announced before Copenhagen of reducing emissions by between 36 and 39 percent below projected levels by 2020. At the most ambitious end of the range, it said emissions would fall by 20 percent from 2005 levels back to 1994 levels.

UNITED STATES (18) - US climate envoy Todd Stern said on Thursday that the country will aim to cut emissions about 17 percent by 2020, from 2005 levels, confirming a goal set by the White House late last year. Earlier in the month he said, "We have an accord that is lumbering down the runway and we need for it to have enough speed to take off."

The target -- 4 percent below 1990 levels -- may be harder to achieve after the Democrats lost a key Senate seat.

EUROPEAN UNION (15) - Reiterated on Jan. 27 an offer of a unilateral goal of a 20 percent emissions cut by 2020, from 1990 levels, and 30 percent if other nations deepened their reductions.

JAPAN (4) - Japan's foreign ministry said on Jan. 26 that it was reiterating an offer to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 -- on condition other emitters led by China and the United States agreed an ambitious deal.

AUSTRALIA (1) - Australia reaffirmed its 5 to 25 percent emissions cut range, below 2000 levels and corresponding to 3-23 percent under 1990, the government said on Jan. 27. A decision to move beyond a unilateral 5 percent would not happen until the "level of global ambition becomes sufficiently clear."

Smaller emitters:

NORWAY - Reiterated on Jan. 28 a unilateral promise to cut emissions by 30 percent below 1990 levels by 2020, and by 40 percent if other nations set tougher goals.

SINGAPORE - Restated plans to cut emissions by 7-11 percent below business as usual levels by 2020 on Jan. 11. It would expand the offer to a 16 percent cut "when a global agreement on climate change is reached."

MALI - Said on Jan. 22 it wanted to be associated with the deal.

CUBA - Wrote to UN Secretariat expressing opposition to the accord.

The US Climate Action Network also published letters from BANGLADESH, SAMOA, THE MARSHALL ISLANDS and MACEDONIA expressing support for the accord. THE PHILIPPINES said it will back the deal if rich nations in the next few months make "deep and early cuts" in emissions.