Barack Obama & Xi Jinping have recently struck deals to reduce carbon emissions in the coming decade. But is it just a new name for old targets?
China has agreed to slow down the use of coal, closing down several its coal-fired power stations. Jinping has promised that we can expect to see a fall in their emissions after 2030, which finally makes an end to their rapid growth tangible. Even so, 2030 could still be cutting it fine – many climate researchers warn that the reductions need to be made by 2030 for catastrophic impacts to be avoided.
The United States has agreed to cut greenhouse emissions by 26% by 2025. This new target satisfies the demands of the United States public following the recent People's March on Climate. However, this is not anything particularly groundbreaking. Reading between the lines, this agreement may be fueled by geopolitics and keeping the climate marchers happy.
It would appear that these two global powers have reaffirmed existing targets. Despite this, it is possible that China and the United States have used their combined global influence to set an example for other countries to follow in preparation for the 2015 Paris summit. If this is the case, it could be a very big deal!
Written 08.01.15
