Leading Nations Pledge Emission Reduction Goals

In agreement with the Copenhagen Accord, many of the world’s leading nations submitted global emission reduction goals to the United Nations by the Jan. 31 deadline. Submissions were made by 55 out of the 192 countries who signed the Accord, some pledging absolute cuts while others agreed to lower emissions by 2020. The emission reduction plans submitted by the 55 countries account for three-quarters of global emissions, according to BBC.

The Copenhagen Accord aims to limit global warming to two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial times and proposes providing financial aid to poorer nations to help in the reduction of emissions.

However,  “the pledges put on the table to date do not put us on track to meet the goal and will make it very difficult for us politically and technically beyond 2020 to meet that target,” said Alden Meyer of the Union of Concerned Scientists, according to The New York Times.

China agreed to cut carbon dioxide emissions per unit of economic activity by 40 to 45 percent by 2020 in reference to 2005 levels. India agreed to lower emissions by 20 to 25 percent. South Korea pledged to invest $86 billion in eco-friendly transportation systems, buildings codes, and low-carbon energy production. The United States promised to cut emissions within a range of 17 percent, loosening their pledge made during the Copenhagen Accord, according to BBC. Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the United Nations, claimed, “greater ambition is required to meet the scale of the challenge. But I see these pledges as clear signals of willingness to move negotiations towards a successful conclusion,” according to BBC.Mexico and Russia were not among the countries that submitted plans as of the Sunday deadline.

But, “the pledges made by countries like Japan, China, Europe, and India show a commitment to collective, transparent action on a scale never seen before,” said Jennifer Morgan director of the World Resources Institute’s climate and energy program. If the nations who submitted pledges successfully meet their emission reduction goals, global carbon dioxide emissions would be greatly reduced, but such measures still would not be enough to reverse the effects of climate change.