- Title: BRAZIL: Officials pledge to cut 36 percent of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020
- Date: 14th November 2009
- Summary: AMAZONAS, BRAZIL (FILE) (REUTERS) SMOKE CLOSE OF FIRE BURNING IN THE FOREST
- Embargoed: 29th November 2009 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Brazil
- Country: Brazil
- Topics: International Relations,Nature / Environment
- Reuters ID: LVA5APNP0TPOED5PYHQ7EE87ZAZN
- Story Text: Brazil will target a minimum reduction of 36 percent in its greenhouse gas emissions from projected levels in 2020, the government said on Friday (November 13), pledging a deep cut weeks ahead of a U.N. climate summit.
The pledge, while voluntary and not internationally binding, aims to encourage other nations to adopt aggressive cuts and make a global deal more likely at the December summit in Copenhagen.
Dilma Rousseff, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's chief of staff, told reporters in Sao Paulo that Latin America's largest economy would commit to cut its emissions by between 36.1 percent and 38.9 percent from projected 2020 levels.
"What are we pledging goes beyond those 20 percent, or 21 (percent) in reality, we are pledging in this time frame (until 2020) as we are evaluating other goals is between 36 and 39 (percent), 36.1 to 38.9 (percent), 36 to 39 basically. In this time frame we have agreed to come up with a series of complementary measures, like reducing Amazon deforestation by 80 percent," she told reporters in Sao Paulo.
The higher range of the pledge would cut Brazil's emissions to near 1994 levels of 1.7 billion tonnes, down about 20 percent from 2.1 million tonnes in 2005.
Brazil, among the world's biggest carbon polluters mostly due to deforestation, intends to play a key role at December's Copenhagen summit where countries will aim to forge a new United Nations climate pact.
Brazil's Environment Minister Carlos Minc said the country would several make changes to meet its goals.
"Brazil will grow, it will develop, we will create more green jobs, more efficient jobs, a cleaner energy matrix, a more efficient agriculture, using less land with more productivity, and thus with more competitiveness, what can also reflect in the cost of foodstuff," he said.
Developing nations such as China and India want the rich to cut their greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020.
Rich countries in turn have called on developing countries to do their part by cutting emissions significantly by 2020. The European Union wants developing nations to cut projected 2020 emissions by 15-20 percent.
Brazil hopes to nudge other countries to adopt more aggressive emissions targets but, wary of undermining its negotiating strategy, the government says its new goal is a domestic target and not internationally binding.
The talks in Copenhagen aim to reach agreement to succeed an accord adopted in Kyoto to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which are blamed for global warming. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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