News: Copenhagen summit – old story new epilogue

The last two month there were a lot of speculations about Copenhagen summit participants and projected emission cuts. The objects of speculation were, China, India and the U.S. because they are the world’s biggest polluters it wasn’t clear in which measure they are interested to participate in greenhouse cut emission. But since 25 November it seams that this story got a different epilogue.

I have read a couple of different articles from leading American, European and Indian newspapers agencies as The Washington Post, The New York Times, Voice of America, The DNA India, The Khabar Express, The Times, BBC, The Guardian etc.

It seams that India and US had realized that energy security, food security and climate change are interlinked. They agreed that eliminating poverty, ensuring sustainable development and a clean energy future are among the primary global objectives. At Wednesday, 25 November 2009 American President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had agreed to forge a “Green Partnership” to address global change challenges in the 21^st century.

President Obama announced that he will go to Copenhagen summit and that he will present U.S. commitment to make sustainable cuts in greenhouse gas pollution over the next two decades, removing one of the greatest obstacles to Copenhagen deal. Mr. Obama propose 17% cut emission from 2005 levels by 2020, by 30% before 2025 and by 42% before 2030.

Europeans warmly welcomed the idea of Green Partnership but President Obama’s announcement that he will be attending the summit only for the first day caused mixed reaction in Europe. Most of the European newspapers reminds the public that Mr. Obama’s presence and targets came after a weeks of lobbying by governments for him to attend. The Times, The Guardian and BBC articles are not hiding disappointment that Copenhagen will be Obama’s pit stop en route to pick up his Nobel Prize in Oslo. In addition, same articles are pointing on Greenpeace statement that “The U.S. offer of 17% on 2005 figures equates to 6% at 1990 levels and will not help the climate summit reach a strong deal to stop climate chaos”. The articles are noting that he 6% cuts are much below the EU pledge to reduce emissions by 20% by 2020 on 1990 levels.

The Washington Post article starts with the note that the administration’s decision to identify a series of goals, including cutting emissions over the next decade is a calculated risk, given that Congress has never set mandatory limits on greenhouse gases. They are noting that 17% reduction range is in line with a climate bill that had been passes in House in June and is pending in the Senate, but it is still below what scientists and European political leaders say is needed.

In addition, the article is noting that the target will be contingent on passage of domestic legalization, and that figure reflects the current US political reality and that President Obama has come under intense pressure from world leaders and his domestic supporters. The article raised a domestic question, weather the administration will be able to deliver on its promises, followed by conservative Heritage Foundation statement “It appears the administration is making the same mistake the US delegation made at Kyoto, promising abroad what probably can’t be delivered at home…and while it’s a large enough number to pose a real risk to the U.S. economy, it is also a target that does not satisfy many in international community, who complaint that America has not done enough.” So it seams that president’s decision to attend Copenhagen meeting raised a lot of domestic questions and widen the gap between democrats and conservatives.

Another part of the article had been reserved for the topic to what extent China and India, which are not bound by the same obligation as industrialized countries under U.N. process, would cut their emissions?

The same picture but the different impression could be gotten from Indian articles. Most of them represent this story as a new hope for a global deal on reducing greenhouse gases, putting American and Indian bilateral cooperation in focus.

China didn’t stay voiceless on American roll-call and argued that greater responsibility falls on advance industrialized nations like the U.S. that had been the biggest emitter of greenhouse gas for decades before China’s rise as a global economic power. China’s state council confirmed President Hu statement that China will trim its “carbon intensity” 40-45% by 2020 on 2005 levels, with small distinction that carbon intensity is defined as the amount of greenhouse gas emitted for each unit of nation income. The state council underlined “This is a voluntary action taken by Chinese government based on its own national conditions and is a major contribution to the global effort in tackling climate change”. Western officials and experts welcomed this statement, as a starting position for negotiations but still there is a lot of skepticism that the target will break the long-standing deadlock over emission-reduction targets. The experts are warning that commitment made by China means as China continues to grow, emissions will increase to, but at slower rate than they otherwise would have done.

Even China, India and the U.S. announced that they would participate on next Copenhagen meeting and came up with its greenhouse emission cuts the success of summit is questionable. The newborn problem is how these low targets, presented by biggest polluters, will influence other participants in decision-making and would it be enough to reach the overall Copenhagen goal to keep temperature rises below 2 degrees Celsius?

Sources:

http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/asia/India-US-On-Climate-Change-73563797.html

http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/usa/Obama-Copenhagen-Climate-Summit-25NOV09-73646332.html

http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/26nov09-china-climate-conference-74635257.html

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/11/obama-to-attend-copenhagen-un.html

http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/26/europe-casts-a-skeptical-eye-on-obamas-trip-to-copenhagen/

http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report_us-and-india-agree-on-environment-goals_1316169

http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report_obama-to-attend-climate-change-summit-to-unveil-new-target_1316931

http://www.khabarexpress.com/25/11/2009-093600/India-US-agree-to-forge-Green-Partnership-to-address-global-climate-change-challenges-news_118565.html

http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2253988/reports-china-cut-carbon

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE5AP14D20091126?sp=true

http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-GreenBusiness/idUSTRE5AP2JV20091126?sp=true