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FACTBOX-Climate negotiating positions of top emitters

Thu Nov 26, 2009 10:14am EST

(Updates China, U.S., figures for South Korea, Brazil, Indonesia and adds Canada)

Nov 26 (Reuters) - China unveiled its first firm target to cut greenhouse gases on Wednesday, while the U.S. said on Tuesday that President Barack Obama would attend climate talks next month and promised an emissions cut of 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020.

Following are the negotiating positions of 10 of the top greenhouse gas emitters before the Dec. 7-18 meeting in Copenhagen on a new global climate deal.



1) CHINA (annual emissions of greenhouse gases: 6.8 billion tonnes, 5.5 tonnes per capita)

* Emissions - China said it will cut its carbon intensity -- the amount of carbon dioxide emitted for each unit of GDP -- by 40 to 45 percent by 2020, compared with 2005 levels. [ID:nPEK421]

The domestic voluntary target will still allow emissions of world's biggest greenhouse gas emitter to grow substantially over the next decade, analysts said. [ID:nSP149425]

This is the first measurable curb on national emissions in China. President Hu Jintao has also said China would try to raise the share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption to 15 percent by 2020.

* Demands - China said developed nations' targets to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions are still too low. It expects cuts of at least 40 percent from 1990 levels by 2020 and wants a promise of far more aid and green technology. [ID:nL1957409]



2) UNITED STATES (6.4 billion tonnes, 21.0 tonnes per capita)

* Emissions - The U.S. promised to cut 2005 emissions by 17 percent by 2020 and said President Barack Obama would attend the beginning of the Copenhagen summit. This amounts to about 3 percent below 1990 levels, the benchmark used in the Kyoto Protocol. [ID:nGEE5AO1RB]

The U.S. also said it would extend cuts to 30 percent below 2005 levels by 2025, rising to 83 percent by 2050.

* Obama says he wants an accord in Copenhagen that covers all the issues and that has "immediate operational effect." [ID:nLH614547].

Legislation to cut emissions by 20 percent from 2005 levels had been approved by a Senate committee but people few think it can become law before the Copenhagen talks. [ID:nN13212295]

* Finance - The United States says a "dramatic increase" is needed in funds to help developing nations.

* Demands - "We cannot meet this challenge unless all the largest emitters of greenhouse gas pollution act together," Obama said. [ID:nLN445414]



3) EUROPEAN UNION (5.03 billion tonnes, 10.2 tonnes per capita)

* Emissions - EU leaders agreed in December 2008 to cut emissions by 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and by 30 percent if other developed nations follow suit.

* Finance - EU leaders have agreed that developing nations will need about 100 billion euros ($147 billion) a year by 2020 to help them curb emissions and adapt to changes such as floods or heatwaves. As an advance payment, they suggest 5-7 billion a year between 2010 and 2012. [ID:nBRU010064]

* Demands - The EU wants developing nations to curb the rise of their emissions by 15 to 30 percent below a trajectory of "business as usual" by 2020.



4) RUSSIA (1.7 billion tonnes, 11.9 tonnes per capita)

* Emissions - Cut greenhouse gases by 22-25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020. That means a rise from now -- emissions were 34 percent below 1990 levels in 2007. [ID:nLI176075]



5) INDIA (1.4 billion tonnes, 1.2 tonnes per capita)

* Emissions - India is prepared to quantify the amount of greenhouse gas emissions it could cut with domestic actions, but will not accept internationally binding targets, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said. [ID:nDEL381436]. India has said its per capita emissions will never rise to match those of developed nations.

* Demands - Like China, India wants rich nations to cut emissions by at least 40 percent by 2020. But Ramesh signalled room to compromise: "It's a negotiation. We've given a number of 40 percent but one has to be realistic." [ID:nDEL313884].



6) JAPAN (1.4 billion tonnes, 11.0 tonnes per capita)

* Emissions - Cut emissions by 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 if Copenhagen agrees an ambitious deal.

* Finance - Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama told the United Nations that Tokyo would also step up aid. [ID:nT293715]



7) CANADA (658 million tonnes, 19.8 tonnes per capita)

* Emissions - Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2007 said Canada would its emissions by 20 percent below 2006 levels by 2020. Environment Minister Jim Prentice on Wednesday reiterated this target and said Canada's plan mirrors the newly-announced U.S. target. [ID:nN25369649]



8) SOUTH KOREA (664 million tonnes, 13.7 tonnes per capita)

* Emissions - Cut emissions by 30 percent below "business as usual" levels by 2020, which is equivalent to a 4 percent cut from 2005 levels. [ID:nSEO204081]



9) BRAZIL (440 million tonnes, 2.2 tonnes per capita)

* Emissions - Will cut its emissions by between 36.1 percent and 38.9 percent from projected 2020 levels, representing a 20 percent cut below 2005 levels. [ID:nN13478151]



10) INDONESIA (380 million tonnes, 1.6 tonnes per capita)

* Emissions - Aims to cut emissions by 26 percent by 2020 below "business as usual" levels. [ID:nSP495601]

Taking CO2 from deforestation into account, Indonesia is the world's third largest emitter of greenhouse gases.



Note: Greenhouse gas emissions are 2008 data from Germany's Energy industry institute IWR except for the EU, which are from a 2007 submission to United Nations [ID:nLA268743]

Population data source: www.cia.gov

For an overview of climate change stories, click [nCLIMATE]

For Reuters latest environment blogs click on: blogs.reuters.com/environment/ (Compiled by Michael Szabo, Alister Doyle and Gerard Wynn; Editing by David Stamp) ((michael.szabo@reuters.com; +44 207 542 9242; Reuters Messaging: michael.szabo.reuters.com@reuters.net))

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