“Rich nations must cut emissions”

The Hindu , Friday, June 12, 2009
Correspondent : Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI: Rich countries have a ‘double duty’ to both cut emissions at home while also helping to fund emissions reductions in poor countries in order to get a fair and safe climate deal, according to a new report by Oxfam, an international agency, on Thursday.

The report ‘Hang Together or Separately?’ says that only rich countries can break the deadlock crippling international climate negotiations and prevent the world lurching into climate disaster.

Pragmatic way

The framework offers a pragmatic way to measure how much emission rich countries should cut and how much developing countries must receive to help them cut their emissions as well.

Studies show that annual global emissions need to return to 1990 levels or below by 2020. The report says roughly half of these reductions could be achieved through the establishment of a ‘Global Mitigation and Finance Mechanism’ which will provide poor countries with the support they need to limit the growth in their emissions without compromising their development.

Collective cut

Rich countries must also collectively cut their emissions by at least 40 per cent below, 1990 levels by 2020, with a majority of these reductions occurring at home.

The report considers for each rich country its responsibility for causing climate change and its capability to respond in order to spell out exactly how much they must cut their emissions to meet this target.

It also shows that no rich country is anywhere near delivering its fair share of the reductions needed. According to the report, the U.K. must cut its emissions by 45.3 per cent by 2020 on 1,990 levels – the European Union (EU) should have a combined target of 45 per cent. However, the 20-30 per cent target agreed upon by EU governments shows how politics has overruled what is scientifically needed if we are to avoid runaway climate change.

Rich countries are responsible for three quarters of greenhouse gas emissions currently in the atmosphere, but it is the world’s poorest people who are being hit first and hardest by a changing climate.

Negative impact

In Africa, changes to rainfall are already affecting food production, and rising temperatures are boosting the spread of diseases.

Many developing countries have already made significant steps to reduce emissions and signalled their willingness to discuss further action provided rich countries lend financial and technological support.

Carbon permits

The ‘Global Mitigation and Finance Mechanism’ would use money from the sale of carbon permits to provide the support developing countries need. Countries such as Uganda and India would receive 100 per cent of the funding they need to shift to a low carbon development path.

Oxfam estimates that at least $150 billion is needed every year to fund both adaptation and mitigation action in developing countries.

 
SOURCE : Friday, 12 June 2009
 


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