Positive signs for landmark deal in Copenhagen emerge

Adianto P. Simamora , The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 11/27/2009

With ten days before the much-awaited Copenhagen climate talks, positive signs for a landmark deal emerged after the United States and China – the largest emitters in planet – unveiled their first firm targets to slash emissions.

Indonesian delegates hailed the promises by the US and China, saying it would break the expected deadlock on emission cut target by 2020 in climate change conference in Copenhagen slated from Dec.7 to Dec. 18.

“It is encouraging development making us more optimistic that an ambitious yield will be reached in Copenhagen,” Agus Purnomo, member of Indonesian delegate to international climate talks told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

He said that with such promises, there would no longer reasons for the rich nations to rebuff a legally binding treaty in Copenhagen conference.

President Barack Obama was expected to travel to Danish capital on Dec. 9 to attend the climate conference before his visiting to Oslo to accept the Nobel Peace Prize.

Reports say the US would propose for the first time in history emission cut “in the range of” 17 percent by 2020 compared to 2005 level.

Former US president George W. Bush rejected a legally binding emission cut as set under the Kyoto Protocol.

China has also announced its plan to cut “intensity of CO2 emissions per unit” of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2020 by 40 percent to 45 percent, compared with its 2005 level.

Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiaboo will also attend the Copenhagen meeting.

“Let’s see on whether such promises would be bring to the negotiation table,” Agus said.

Indonesia has repeatedly called on the rich nations to meet its promise as made in Bali climate change talks in 2007 to yield a legally binding treaty on an emissions cut target in Copenhagen.