USA, China Agree Carbon ‘Easing’ Targets… But What Are They?

Posted on 17. Nov, 2009 by Ross in Asia, Government Policy, North America

After months of political to-ing and fro-ing, the two most polluting nations on Earth today agreed to set binding carbon dioxide emissions targets at the Copenhagen Conference next month.

Despite the press conference held between Hu Jintao and the visiting Barak Obama to announce the agreement, as well as the outcome of other discussions including trade, nuclear proliferation and Iran, there was yet again a lack of numerical targets in the speeches.

The USA has spent the last few months desperately treading diplomatic water whilst waiting for the Senate to pass its version of the American Clean Energy and Security Act. However, by doing so it has effectively destroyed all chance of the world creating a cohesive plan to battle climate change this year, continually dismissing the need to view Copenhagen as a definitive moment in world history.

Some of the fault also lies with China, who have spent the year successfully packaging the USA as the climate villains, but by doing so managed to add more reasons for US politicians to beware the economic price of carbon cap-and-trade schemes or carbon taxes.

No new developments were announced off the back of the meeting between the two leaders - the usual remarks about low-carbon technology co-operation, carbon capture and storage systems and electric cars. All that was said had been said already, leaving the rest of the world wondering just what they can hope to accomplish when the two worst climate culprits continue to fail to offer penitent action.

Obama and Hu said that an accord in Demark should include carbon emission reduction targets for industrialised nations, coupled with ‘action plans’ to ‘ease’ emissions for developing countries.

Such soft language will likely ring alarm bells back in the USA, however: many American politicians’ worst fears are that the US commits to economically-damaging carbon controls whilst the rest of the world continues to pollute with less strigent burdens, damaging the USA’s trading competitiveness.

Obama and Hu called for specific targets to be met, but said more political will was needed to ensure a successful outcome. Whether they themselves have that will, rather than just the rhetoric, remains to be seen.

Image of a gloomy Airforce One by xmatt @ Flickr