G8 Emissions Pledge Unravels as Russia Objects

• Thursday, July 9, 2009, 12:39
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Photo courtesy scottfeldstein.

By Anna Smolchenko – 2 hours ago

L’AQUILA, Italy (AFP) – G8 plans for deep cuts in global greenhouse gas emissions began unravelling on Wednesday shortly after leaders signed on to the deal as Russia rejected a key plank as “unacceptable”.

G8 leaders agreed to bear the brunt of steep global cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, calling on a broader bloc of developed countries to reduce pollution by 80 percent by 2050.

The aim, agreed at a G8 summit in the central Italian town of L’Aquila, is to cut overall world emissions by 50 percent in order to limit global warming to no more than two degrees Celsius, a declaration said.

“Because this global challenge can only be met by a global response, we reiterate our willingness to share with all countries the goal of achieving at least a 50 percent reduction of global emission by 2050,” the G8 leaders said.

“As part of this, we also support a goal of developed countries reducing emissions of greenhouse gases in aggregate by 80 percent or more by 2050, compared to 1990 or more recent years,” they added.

But the ink was barely dry on the agreement when it ran into Russian opposition.

“For us the 80 percent figure is unacceptable and likely unattainable,” said Arkady Dvorkovich, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s top economic aide.

“We won’t sacrifice economic growth for the sake of emission reduction,” he told reporters.

The head of campaign group WWF’s global climate initiative, Kim Cartensen, said that Russia’s objection to the target was “probably a sign of internal disagreement inside the Russian delegation.”

“They should have, but they don’t have anything in their policy to reach the target,” she said.

The objective to cut global emissions overall by 50 percent also came under fire with a broader group of major polluters, including many developing countries such as China and India, dropping a pledge earlier to halve their pollution by 2050.

Summit host and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said that developed countries needed to be united in the fight against climate change to convince poorer countries to sign on to the emission cuts.

“It’s important to show unity before India and China because reductions in Europe and the US but not in those countries would not be productive,” he told reporters.

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About the Author

iEntry has written 2022 stories on this site.

A social and fiscal conservative, I scour the news for information that disputes the current man-made global warming indoctrination that takes place around the world. I take a rather sarcastic approach to reporting on the nonsense being spewed by the talking heads in the media and the governments around the world.

One Comment on “G8 Emissions Pledge Unravels as Russia Objects”

• 
  peterdublin wrote on 9 July, 2009, 19:13

  Re Russia etc – exactly, emission reduction could be much simpler!

  …….
  Sufficient first phase 2020/2030 emission reduction is achieved by acting on ELECTRICITY generation (coal, gas) and TRANSPORT (mainly automobiles) alone, since these 2 sectors typically (as in the USA) account for 80% of greenhouse gas emissions. ………………………………………………..

  The focus on electricity and transport gives several advantages – apart from lowering CO2 emissions:

  1. Local environmental benefit from less pollution of sulphur and all else that’s in the emissions, regardless of the less certain or immediate global benefit from CO2 reduction.

  2. Electricity supply alternatives which together with improved grid distribution gives better competition and keeps down electricity bills for consumers.

  3. Transport alternatives (using electricity, hydrogen and other energy sources), which give variety of choice and competition advantages for consumers, additionally reducing the dependency on oil imports.

  4. No trade problems: Unlike Cap and Trade, which involves cement, steel and other industries having to face imports from unregulated countries, the here suggested electricity and transport changes are not just more limited, but also largely local. Since there is little competition between say utility companies internationally, “best practice” results can be compared and shared.

  …………………………………………………………………………………………….

  Funding and Impact
  = Equity and long term loan finance can be used: Long term industrial loans from financial institutions, particularly if federal/state guaranteed, give low yearly interest repayments and lessen the effect on electricity bills or transport cost ………………………………………………

  Compare with
  today’s all-encompassing Cap and Trade (emission trading) suggestions, with unpredictability, expense, and needless disruption from normal business practice on one hand, or unnecessary profiteering from free allowance handouts with little actual emission reduction on the other hand – together with extensive -and unnecessary- regulation on what people can or can’t buy and use.
  ………………………………………………………………………..

  Understanding why proposed Cap and Trade is bad, in USA and elsewhere
  http://www.ceolas.net/#cce5x
  Basic Idea — Offsets — Tree Planting — Manufacture Shift — Fair Trade — Surreal Market — Real Market — Allowances: Auctions + Hand-Outs — Allowance Trading — Companies: Business Stability + Business Cost — In Conclusion

  ………………………….. The Way Forward
  http://www.ceolas.net/#cc10x
  Introduction — Funding and Impact —No Energy Efficiency Regulation — A New Electric World
  Electricity Generation — Distribution
  Transport Power Generation — Regulation — Taxation