Nations stick to CO2 goals before January deadline

OSLO (Reuters) – The world is showing only lukewarm enthusiasm for a “Copenhagen Accord” to curb climate change, with no sign so far of deeper-than-planned 2020 curbs on greenhouse gas emissions before a January 31 deadline.

In Brussels, a draft European

Union

letter on Friday showed plans for the 27-nation bloc to reiterate a minimum offer of a 20 percent cut in emissions by 2020 below 1990 levels, pleasing industry, and a 30 percent cut if other nations act comparably.

Other countries are likely to do the same after last month’s Copenhagen summit ended with a low-ambition accord. No nations have since announced radically tougher plans for action.

“I think that countries are going to stick to their ranges,” said Nick Mabey, head of the E3G think-tank in London. He said it was too early for an overhaul of national goals.

“It’s almost like the beginning of a new negotiation,” said Gordon Shepherd, director of international policy at the WWF environmental group.

Reuters