China and America setting CO2 emissions targets - meanwhile, Australian Liberals burning down their house.

Subject:	China and America setting CO2 emissions targets - meanwhile, Australian Liberals burning down their house.
Date:	Sat, 28 Nov 2009 01:54:00 GMT

"China Unveils Emissions Target Ahead of Global Climate Conference"

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

"The emissions target follows a similar announcement by
the Obama administration ahead of next month's U.N. climate
change conference in Copenhagen."

"China says it will work to constrain carbon dioxide
emissions believed to contribute to global warming.
The emissions target follows a similar announcement
by the Obama administration ahead of next month's U.N.
climate change conference in Copenhagen.

China's State Council says China will trim its "carbon
intensity" 40 to 45 percent by the year 2020 as compared
to 2005 levels. Carbon intensity is defined as the amount
of greenhouse gases emitted for each unit of nation income."

An interesting approach by the most significant 'developing'
nation. In the short term it's absolute emissions may increase
over the decade, but it is committed to greater efficiency,
and is acknowledging the need to limit it's carbon emissions.

"By linking the goal to its gross national product rather
than setting an absolute emissions target, China - the
world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases - may actually
see its total emissions increase over the next decade,
even if it meets the voluntary target. China's economy,
one of the world's fastest-growing, is expected to continue
to expand at a robust pace.

China has acknowledged the need to limit its carbon
emissions, but argued that greater responsibility falls
on advanced industrialized nations like the United States,
which produced large quantities of greenhouse gases for
decades before China's rise as a global economic power."

Wednesday, China's envoy on climate change negotiation,
Yu Qingtai, placed blame for current global warming trends
squarely on developed nations.

The envoy said developed nations should take "serious
action" to remain true to their words in solving the
[climate change] problem they caused."

No climate Change denial in either the Chinese or US
administrations.

They have moved on to the tougher challenge, what
is appropriate levels of action for developing and
developed nations.

India has said it will review it;s own stance in response
to the bold move by China (which seems to act more
swiftly and decisively than Western democracies
are able to, especially Australia where the Lieberal
opposition are tearing themselves apart over the issue,
and blocking an ETS in the Senate becasue they are unable
to take a consistent policy position from more than 24 hrs.)

"Beijing's announcement comes one day after the United
States became the last of several industrialized countries
to commit to cutting carbon emissions."

Globally the political argument is over.

My own view on climate change is similar to
that of Geologist Prof Ian Plimer, the planet
is always warming, cooling or in transition between those
two states. However I am strongly in favour of measures to
reduce the profligate waste of non-renewable fossil fuels,
particularly petro-chemicals, which we need for chemistry,
pharmaceuticals, plastics and (and, most vital, cosmetics ;-)
and so support any global initiatives which encourage
the exploitation of renewable energy, greater energy efficiency,
reduced consumption, and the expansion of nuclear power.

"The White House
says President Barack Obama will attend next month's
climate change summit in Copenhagen, Denmark, and will
make a provisional pledge to cut U.S. greenhouse gas
emissions by 17 percent from 2005 levels by 2020.

Mr. Obama as been pushing China and India to commit to
reducing emmissions before the summit in Copenhagen.
Earlier this week, the president and Indian Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh unveiled what they called a
"green partnership," affirming their commitment to
fighting climate change.

The administration's announcement was welcomed by U.N.
climate officials. The target pledges by the world's
top-two carbon emitters are seen as hopeful signs for
progress at Copenhagen, although a final package for
global greenhouse gas reduction remains in doubt."

--

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