Oslo reiterates pledge of at least 30 pct CO2 cut

Reuters Environmental Online Report | 2010-01-28 09:53:18

<div><p>OSLO (Reuters) - Norway reaffirmed on Thursday a unilateral pledge to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 30 percent by 2020 as part of international efforts to combat global warming.</p><p>Environment Minister Erik Solheim also restated a policy announced in October that Oslo was willing to deepen the cuts to 40 percent below 1990 levels if other nations showed more ambition as part of an international agreement.</p><p>"For now we will report in the 30 to 40 percent range," he told a news conference, referring to a letter to be sent to the U.N. Climate Change Secretariat before a January 31 deadline.</p><p>Even a pledge to cut by 30 percent would be among the most ambitious of any developed nation. Norway, which has a $450 billion fund built up from oil revenues, can afford to buy carbon emissions quotas to supplement cuts in domestic emissions.</p><p>Last month's Copenhagen Accord set a January 31 deadline for countries to say if they want to be associated with a deal, worked out by nations including the United States and China, and to outline their greenhouse gas curbs to 2020.</p><p>"We have to ensure that everything promised in Copenhagen is carried out," Solheim said. The accord set a goal of limiting warming to below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) and a target for aid to developing nations of $100 billion a year from 2020.</p><p>Other nations have also stuck to existing carbon promises without raising their ambitions since Copenhagen.</p><p>(Editing by Noah Barkin)</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=67955826&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>


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