China
"Developed countries should support developing countries in tackling climate change." President Hu Jintao, 22/9/09
|
- Set a "binding goal" to cut CO2 per unit of GDP by 40-45% below 2005 levels by 2020
- Wants rich countries to reduce emissions to 40% below 1990 level by 2020
- Says they should pay 1% of their GDP per year to help other countries adapt
- Wants West to provide low-carbon technology
|
- The world's biggest GHG producer (20.7% of global emissions, 8,106mt of CO2 equivalent)
- Emissions per head: 30th in the world (6t of CO2 equivalent)
- GDP (2008): $4.3tn
- Amount of GHG emitted per $1m of GDP: 1,152t
- Kyoto: Signed as a developing country so not obliged to cut emissions
|
How serious a threat is global warming to you and your family?
Very/Somewhat serious
Not very/Not at all serious
 |
United States
"This is not fiction, this is science. Unchecked, climate
change will pose unacceptable risks to our security, our
economies, and our planet."
Barack Obama, US president, 18/12/09
|
- Prepared to work "with other countries" to raise $100bn a year by 2020
- Will cut emissions to 17% below 2005 levels by 2020 pending congressional approval - this is close to 4% below 1990 levels
- Against Kyoto-style treaty imposing international legal obligations
- Insists China, India, South Africa and Brazil must commit to slow growth of emissions
- Climate bill is currently bogged down in Senate
|
- The world's second-biggest GHG producer (15.5% of global emissions, 6,087mt of CO2 equivalent)
- Emissions per head: Fifth in the world (20t of CO2 equivalent)
- GDP (2008): $14.2tn
- Amount of GHG emitted per $1m of GDP: 441t
- Kyoto: Signed, but never ratified
|
How serious a threat is global warming to you and your family?
Very/Somewhat serious
Not very/Not at all serious
 |
EU
"Things are fragile but I believe that common sense will prevail. We have to focus on the substance and we have to take political decisions."
Stavros Dimas, EU environment commissioner, 18/12/09
The EU is a grouping of 27 European states |
- Will cut emissions by 20% from 1990 levels by 2020, or 30% if other big emitters take tough action
- Wants rich nations to make 80-95% cut by 2050
- Wants poorer nations to slow emissions growth
- Says they face costs of $150bn per year by 2020, of which EU will pay $7bn-22bn from public finances
|
- The world's third-biggest GHG producer (11.8% of global emissions, 4,641mt CO2 equivalent)
- Emissions per head: 17th in the world (9t of CO2 equivalent)
- GDP (2008): $18.3tn
- Amount of GHG emitted per $1m of GDP: 315t
- Kyoto: Signed - has to get average emissions for 2008-2012 8% below 1990 level
|
How serious a threat is global warming to you and your family?
Very/Somewhat serious
Not very/Not at all serious
(Results represent the median of 23 out of the 27 EU states polled by Gallup) |
Japan
"Japan will, with this assistance, support a broad range of developing countries which are taking measures of mitigation, as well as those which are vulnerable."
Japan delegation, 16/12/09 |
- Will cut emissions to 25% below 1990 levels by 2020, if other countries show similar ambition
- This amounts to a cut of 30% in 10 years, and is opposed by industry
- "Hatoyama initiative" will increase financial and technical assistance to developing countries
- Backs proposals in which each country would set its own commitments
|
- The world's seventh-biggest GHG producer (3.3% of global emissions, 1,293mt of CO2 equivalent)
- Emissions per head: 15th in the world (10t of CO2 equivalent)
- GDP (2008): $4.9tn
- Amount of GHG emitted per $1m of GDP: 301t
- Kyoto: Signed - has to get average emissions for 2008-2012 6% below 1990 level
|
How serious a threat is global warming to you and your family?
Very/Somewhat serious
Not very/Not at all serious
 |
The nations and organisations below are also part of the G77 group of developing nations |
India
"The most vulnerable country in the world to climate change is India." Jairam Ramesh, India's environment minister, 3/12/09
|
- Will cut CO2 emissions per unit of GDP by 20-25% from 2005 levels by 2020
- Rejects legally binding target, but wants rich countries legally bound
- Says rich countries are to blame for climate change and points to big gap in per capita emissions
- Wants 40% cut in rich country emissions by 2020
- Opposes goal of halving world emissions by 2050
|
- The world's sixth-biggest GHG producer (5% of global emissions, 1,963mt of CO2 equivalent)
- Emissions per head: 66th in the world (2t of CO2 equivalent)
- GDP (2008): $1.2tn
- Amount of GHG emitted per $1m of GDP: 655t
- Kyoto: Signed as a developing country, so not obliged to cut emissions
|
How serious a threat is global warming to you and your family?
Very/Somewhat serious
Not very/Not at all serious
 |
African union
"My proposal scales back our expectation with respect to the level of funding in return for more reliable funding." Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia, 16/12/09
The African Union is a grouping of 52 African states |
- Wants climate funds to reach $100bn a year by 2020 for rich countries to help poorer nations
- Wants at least 50% for vulnerable and poor regions such as African and small island states
- Like China, wants rich countries legally bound to cut emissions to 40% below 1990 level by 2020
- Describes 20 to 30% cuts as "unacceptable"
|
- The AU accounts for 8.1% of global emissions (3,164mt of CO2 equivalent)
- Emissions per head: 4t of CO2 equivalent
- GDP (2008): $34bn
- Amount of GHG emitted per $1m of GDP: 1,361t
- Kyoto: African nations signed as developing countries so are not obliged to cut emissions
|
How serious a threat is global warming to you and your family?
Sample state, Kenya:
Very/Somewhat serious
Not very/Not at all serious
 |
Gulf states
"We are among the most economically vulnerable countries." Mohammad S. Al Sabban, Saudi Arabia's lead negotiator 8/10/09
Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE |
- Opec and Saudi Arabia seeking financial aid for oil-producers if new agreement requires cuts of fossil fuels
- Keen on a deal that would advance use of carbon capture and storage
- In 2007 Opec members pledged $750m to fund climate change research
- Qatar and Abu Dhabi investing heavily in clean energy technology
|
- Gulf states account for 2.3% of global emissions (894mt of CO2 equivalent)
- Emissions per head: 25t of CO2 equivalent
- GDP (2008): $468bn
- Amount of GHG emitted per $1m of GDP: 875t
- Kyoto: Gulf States signed as developing countries so are not obliged to cut emissions
|
How serious a threat is global warming to you and your family?
Sample state, Saudi Arabia:
Very/Somewhat serious
Not very/Not at all serious
 |
Small islands
"The days of little money in the face of big problems are over." Dessima Williams, head of the Alliance of Small Island States (Aosis), 9/10/09
Aosis is a bloc of 42 island and coastal states mostly in the Pacific and Caribbean
|
- Regard rising sea level as threat to their existence
- Seek to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees above preindustrial levels
- Want concentration of CO2 in atmosphere lowered from 380 to 350 parts per million
- Want global emissions to peak by 2015 and fall 85% below 1990 level by 2050
- Want at least 1% of rich country GDP spent on "climate-inflicted damage"
|
- The small island states account for 0.6% of global GHG emissions (246mt of CO2 equivalent)
- Emissions per head: 4t of CO2 equivalent
- GDP (2008): $46bn
- Amount of GHG emitted per $1m of GDP: 551t
- Kyoto: Aosis members signed as developing countries so are not obliged to cut emissions
|
How serious a threat is global warming to you and your family?
Sample state, Dominican Republic:
Very/Somewhat serious
Not very/Not at all serious
 |
One-Minute World News
~RS~a~RS~International~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~51~RS~){kind=small}
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~51~RS~)
Bookmark with:
What are these?