UN Says 55 Nations Affiliated with Copenhagen Accord

Many of the emission reduction pledges are given as ranges, or are conditional on other nations' actions.

By: Margaret Ryan, Published: 02/01/10 4:34pm

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat says 55 nations representing 78% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions have affiliated with the Copenhagen Accord.
The Accord specifies that countries will undertake the actions to which they commit by today, February 1. Developed nations file quantified economy-wide emissions reduction targets, while emerging economies and less developed nations file what are termed "nationally appropriate mitigation actions."
Many of the pledges are given as ranges, or are conditional on other nations' actions. For instance, South Africa sees its commitment to cut emissions 34% below their projected growth in 2020 and 42% by 2025 as conditioned on completion of a new binding treaty including extension of the Kyoto Protocol. China and India carefully say their commitments are voluntary and not binding under international treaties. China will "endeavor to lower" its carbon intensity by 40-45% from the 2005 level, increase non-fossil energy used to 15%, and increase forest coverage by 40 million hectares, all by 2020. India also "will endeavour to reduce" carbon intensity, by 20-25%, not including the agricultural sector.
Among developed countries, Australia promised to lower emissions by 5% from 2000 levels by 2020, but will up that to 15% if there's a global agreement under which major developing nations like China and India also take on comparable commitments. New Zealand will take on 10-20% cuts from 1990 levels, depending on a future global agreement, as long as it sets up "a broad and efficient international carbon market." Russia will cut 15-25%, also conditioned on comparable action by other major economies.
And the European Union says it will cut 20% by 2020 from 1990 levels but would raise that to 30% if other major economies take action, while Canada adopted the same target as the U.S., 17% from 2005 levels. Critics say Canada's target is actually an increase from its 2006 policy.
The UNFCCC Secretariat has said all the commitments are being posted on its web site. The US Climate Action Network has summarized all the known commitments on a special page.