THE United States will not announce binding emission targets at a historic climate change conference in Indonesia, despite growing pressure from developing countries to take the lead in combating global warming.
US climate chief Harlan Watson, who last week outlined how Washington is fighting climate change with technology, aid and economic growth, said yesterday that Bali was not the place to be talking about mandatory emission cuts.
"We're not ready to
do that here," Watson said.
Scientists say global emissions must be cut by 50% by 2050 to avoid dangerous warming that could impact on tens of millions of people.
The US position is likely to dash hopes among developing countries that emission cuts of 25% to 40% by 2020 for industrialised countries would be included in a final agreement when the Bali conference ends on December 14.
Despite the differences on how best to tackle global climate change, UN climate chief Yvo de Boer said the first week of the conference had gone well, and he was optimistic they would come away with an agreement.
"I've observed a strong willingness on the part of countries to get a successful outcome in Bali," he said.
However, China, which some believe has surpassed the United States as the world's top emitter of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases, questioned the fairness of binding cuts when its per capita emissions are about one-sixth of America's. It said, too, that it has only been pumping pollutants into the atmosphere for a few decades, whereas the West has done so for hundreds of years.
"China is in the process of industrialisation and there is a need for economic growth to meet the basic needs of the people and fight against poverty," said Su Wei, a top climate expert for the government and member of its conference delegation.
"I just wonder whether it's fair to ask developing countries like China to take on binding targets," Su said.
The full article contains 331 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
