When a Carbon Emissions Cut is not really a Cut

The Hindu : Sci-Tech / Energy & Environment : U.S.’s response to climate change disappointing: Jairam Ramesh: "Maintaining that the U.S.’s response to climate change is “disappointing”, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday appealed America to better its emission reduce commitment before it was too late for the global community.

Mr. Ramesh expressed deep concern about the U.S. offer to reduce carbon emissions by 17 per cent from 2005 levels by 2020, which he said worked out to a 4 per cent reduction on 1990 reference level used by Kyoto Protocol parties.

He further said that due to absence of domestic legislation, executive action could only achieve 14 per cent reduction by 2020 on 2005 level, which translates to zero per cent reduction of carbon emissions on 1990 levels.

“By any standard the U.S. offer on emission reduction for 2020 is deeply disappointing,” he said. “It’s one thing being ambitious for 2050 when all of us will be dead but the real issue is... are you going to be held accountable for 2020 mid term targets are very essential.”"