FACTBOX-Rich nations' 2020 greenhouse cuts: 9-16 pct

AlertNet, 07 May 2009 12:29:02 GMT

Source: Reuters

May 7 (Reuters) - Industrialised nations' promises for cuts in greenhouse gases work out at a total of between nine and 16 percent below 1990 levels by 2020, well short of levels outlined by the U.N. Climate Panel, Reuters estimates show.

Australia offered deeper cuts on Monday of up to 25 percent below 2000 levels -- if other countries also do so -- but also delayed implementation of a carbon trading plan until 2011. Its previous offer had been a cut of between 5 and 15 percent.

More than 190 nations plan to agree a new U.N. treaty to combat climate change at a meeting in Copenhagen in December to succeed the U.N.'s Kyoto Protocol.

The U.N. Climate Panel says that industrialised nations would need to cut emissions by between 25 and 40 percent below 1990 levels to avoid the worst of global warming such as droughts, floods, heatwaves and rising sea levels.

Following are details of developed nations' goals for greenhouse gas cuts:

2020, pct from year status Australia -5 to -25 2000 officially announced Belarus -5 to -10 1990 under consideration Canada -20 2006 officially announced EU -20 to -30 1990 adopted by legislation Japan +6 to -25 1990 under consideration Norway -30 1990 adopted by parliament Switzerland -20 to -50 1990 consultations in progress Ukraine -20 1990 under consideration U.S. -14 2007 under consideration

(Sources: Submissions to U.N. Climate Change Secretariat at: http://unfccc.int/files/kyoto_protocol/application/pdf/jointsubmission290409.pdf, and government announcements)

Goals are not fully comparable because Australia, Norway and Switzerland's goals include the impacts of land use change and forestry (LULUCF) which can help absorb greenhouse gases. The European Union's unilateral 20 percent goal would exclude land use factors, but include them for the 30 percent goal. Several other nations are still to decide on land use.)

Greenhouse gas emissions adjusting the 2020 targets to a 1990 baseline for all nations (millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent):

2007 level in base year 2020 vs 1990/pct

(1990 if differs) Australia 550 525 (516) 499 - 394 -3 to -24 Belarus 80 129 123 - 116 -5 to -10 Canada 747 718 (592) 575 -3 EU 5,026 5,733 4,587 - 4,013 -20 to -30 Japan 1,374 1,272 1,348 - 954 +6 to -25 Norway 29 37 26 -30 Switzerland 51 50 40 - 25 -20 to -50 Ukraine 443 922 738 -20 U.S. 7,107 7,107 (6,085) 6,085 0.0 TOTALS 15,407 1990: 15,336 14,021 - 12,926 -9 to -16

(Notes: Data are for 2007 except Australia and Ukraine which are 2006. Australian, Norwegian and Swiss data include LULUCF; others exclude)

Other nations include: -- Russia: undecided on a mid-term target. -- Iceland: holding consultations on a mid-term target. Iceland has set a goal of 50-75 percent cuts in emissions as an aspirational goal for 2050 -- New Zealand - wants a medium-term goal to stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at the equivalent of 450 parts per million, and a long-term goal of a 50 percent cut in net emissions from 1990 levels by 2050.

-- For Reuters latest environment blogs click on: http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/

(Editing by Mark Trevelyan)

AlertNet news is provided by

Read more... Sphere: Related Content