Lots of attention to the climate promises of China and US, but little substance. As Reuters point out, the operative word is intend or intention, which makes clear the statement is not meant to create any new obligations. Chinas 2030 emissions target is set in terms of a date but says nothing about the level at which emissions will peak. Chinas target for primary energy consumption is expressed in terms of non-fossil fuels, which means a big increase in nuclear power as well as wind, solar and hydro. And of course, US has seen its emissions drop 10% below 2005, but this is mainly because of a recession and fracking. The next reduction will be much harder, and likely not coming, as 2013 showed an *increase*, not further decrease (washingtonpost/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/01/13/after-years-of-decline-u-s-carbon-emissions-rose-2-percent-in-2013/) Worth reading their *very* cautious language: The United States intends to achieve an economy-wide target of reducing its emissions by 26%-28% below its 2005 level in 2025 and to make best efforts to reduce its emissions by 28%. China intends to achieve the peaking of CO2 emissions around 2030 and to make best efforts to peak early and intends to increase the share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption to around 20% by 2030. Both sides intend to continue to work to increase ambition over time. uk.reuters/article/2014/11/12/climatechange-china-usa-kemp-idUKL6N0T22IU20141112 whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/11/11/us-china-joint-announcement-climate-change
Posted on: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 13:38:25 +0000
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