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US and EU sign up to Copenhagen Accord as deadline looms

The US and EU formally signed up to the Copenhagen Accord this week as the end of January deadline looms.

US climate envoy Todd Stern confirmed that the country will aim for a 17% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions on 2005 levels by 2020. However, the target represents only a 4% reduction on 1990 levels, which many other nations are pushing for as a baseline.

The EU has retained its stance of pledging a unilateral 20% cut in emissions on 1990 levels by 2020, and confirmed that it would raise the target to 30% if other industrialised nations make “comparable offers” and developing countries promise “adequate contributions”.

Among the more ambitious pledges is Norway, which has committed to a cut of at least 30% on 1990 levels by 2020 and said it would deepen cuts to 40% if other nations commit to higher targets.

A further nine nations, Australia, France, Canada, Singapore, Turkey, Papua New Guinea, Serbia, Ghana and the Maldives, have officially signed up to the Accord and other are expected to join them in the last few days before the deadline.

So far only Cuba has officially said it rejects the Accord.
UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Miliband commented today:

“The Copenhagen Accord was an important step forward but we now need to redouble efforts to secure the legally binding treaty, and complete the unfinished business of Copenhagen.”

For further information:
http://en.cop15.dk/
http://unfccc.int/2860.php
http://decc.gov.uk/

29 January 2010

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