INDC: U.S. and Russia present ambitious greenhouse gas reduction commitments
hace 11 year
March 31, 2015
The United States is committed to reducing its emissions by 26% to 28% by 2025, compared to 2005 levels, while Russia will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 20% to 25% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.
The world's most eagerly awaited announcement was made today. The United States - the largest emitter of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) on the planet (22.2% of total emissions) - submitted its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), pledging to reduce its emissions by between 26% and 28% by 2025 from the 2005 level.
Like them, Russia also presented its commitment and will reduce GHG levels from 20% to 25% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, subject to the maximum absorption capacity of forests; and emissions from the energy, industrial, agriculture, land use and waste sectors will be reduced. It also establishes that the maximum emissions to be reached will be from 70% to 75% with no possibility of exceeding them.
Both announcements represent the responsibility of nations to reduce global warming. With the United States and Russia, 34 countries have officially submitted their INDCs: the European Union bloc, Norway, Switzerland, and Mexico, the latter being the only Latin American nation that has so far made its contribution official.
Reduction actions
“The United States is firmly committed to reducing greenhouse gas pollution, and to contributing to the objectives of the Convention, which establishes in its Article 2 the stabilization of GHG concentrations at a level that would prevent anthropogenic interference with the climate system. The United States intends to achieve the objective and reduce emissions between 26% and 28% below the 2005 level by 2025 and to make every effort to achieve 28%.”, reads the official U.S. document.
This nation's contribution establishes that efforts will be made to reduce GHGs by 17% in 2020 and achievement by 2025 will require a further reduction of between 9% and 11%, thereby establishing an annual reduction of 2.3% to 2.8%. To achieve this, a number of laws, existing regulations and other measures will be put in place in the country.
Here you can download the U.S. INDC.
Russia accounts for 70% of boreal forests and 25% of the world's forest resources. Rational use, protection, maintenance and forest management are the most important elements of Russia's policy to reduce GHG emissions from 20% to 25% by 2030.
Here you can download the Russian INDC.
A global commitment
UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres thanked via Twitter the commitment of the United States and Russia.
“With Russia's INDC that's 34 countries submitting contributions, more pledges to come”; “more nations coming to make INDCs public. The pace bodes well for #COP21 #Paris2015.”, he said.
The INDCs of the United States and Russia are very valuable in urging nations to make their contributions and ensure that the planet's temperature does not increase more than 2 degrees Celsius. During COP21, to be held in December in Paris, all parties are expected to reach a global agreement on significant GHG reductions to address climate change.
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