Norway 1st Rich Nation to Commit to 40% Reductions
Norway committed to cut their greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2020 this week. This is the most ambitious goal of any rich nation to date.
Norway’s prime minister Jens Stoltenberg (just re-elected) is meeting the requests of many developing nations and environmental NGOs with this commitment.
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Improving Global Cooperation on Climate Change
Norway’s previous target was to reduce emissions 30% by 2020. It is increasing its goal in order to take the lead in promoting global cooperation around climate change.
Stoltenberg reportedly said that this pledge is especially meant to help reinvigorate the climate change talks before the climate conference in Copenhagen in December, since these talks have hit a sort of limbo or stalemate with rich nations not wanting to meet the demands of developing countries (to aim for more ambitious emissions cuts of at least 40% by 2020).
Total Cut in Emissions from Rich Countries
Industrialized countries, in total, are still far short of the 25-40% targets the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recommends.
The total for industrialzed nations is now 13-21% by 2020, or 11-18% if the climate bill that is currently in Congress is passed.
Lighting the Way on Climate Change?
Norway’s new pledge gives a little positivity and light to the discourse, but major divides between the US and the rest of the world are currently putting us all in a very concerning spot. Will this new action by Norway help to pull us out of the climate trenches?
via BusinessGreen
Related Articles:
1) US Playing Spoilsport at International Climate Negotiations?
2) UN Speeches Ramp Up Rhetoric in US – China Climate Change Arms Race
3) Asians Want Strong Climate Deal & Obama to Lead
Image Credit 1: Jesper Hauge via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 2: jónr via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 3: Michael Gwyther-Jones via flickr under a Creative Commons license
Image Credit 4: Today is a good day via flickr under a Creative Commons license
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