Earth Equity News

At U.N. Talks Developing Nations Come Aboard with Plans for Emission Cuts. By Juliet Eilperin, WashPost, December 12, 2008. "Several major developing countries that had long resisted making specific commitments to combat global warming are laying out concrete plans to curb their greenhouse gas emissions at the U.N. climate conference in Poznan, Poland, a shift that could mark the most positive development in the slow-moving negotiations. Getting the emerging economies -- such as China, Brazil and South Africa -- to limit their escalating carbon footprint has been [a stumbling block]... The past two weeks, however, have seen an easing of that impasse. Brazil has pledged to cut its annual deforestation rate by 70% by 2017 -- which could reduce the country's greenhouse gas emissions by 30 to 45% over the next decade -- and Mexico has vowed to bring its carbon emissions to 50% below their 2002 levels by 2050... These overtures, coupled with an earlier proposal by China to reduce its 'energy intensity' by 20% by 2010, are giving negotiators some hope... Still, the question remains whether these measures are aggressive enough to curb global warming, and whether developing nations will meet their targets, which they insist are voluntary... The new pledges also represent a challenge to the industrialized nations. Tasso Rezende de Azevedo, director general of the Brazilian Forest Service, said his nation's plan shows that developed countries have been too timid when outlining their climate targets. 'If we can talk about decreasing [emissions] 50%... in 10 years, why can't the industrialized countries commit themselves to decreasing 80%... in 50 years?' he asked."