Washington DC, 29 January 2010

The US has registered its 2020 climate target with the UN under the Copenhagen Accord.

A medium-term target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the range of 17 per cent below 2005 levels by 2020 was submitted to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change ( UNFCCC) secretariat Thursday.

The target depends on the passage of US energy and climate legislation, according to the submission.  The final target will be reported to the secretariat after legislation is enacted, the document says.

The US submitted the target under the Copenhagen accord, which was agreed upon during the UN climate summit in the Danish capital last month.

The non-binding political accord, drawn up by major developed and developing countries, states that developed countries will stipulate their GHG emission reduction targets for 2020 in an appendix to the accord by 31 January.

"The US submission reflects President Obama’s continued commitment to meeting the climate change and clean energy challenge through robust domestic and international action that will strengthen our economy, enhance our national security and protect our environment," said Todd Stern, the US special envoy on climate change, in a release.

Stern added the US expects "all major economies will honour their agreement in Copenhagen to submit their mitigation targets or actions as provided in the accord."

The major emerging economies of Brazil, China, India and South Africa confirmed at their environment ministers' meeting in New Delhi on Sunday that they will submit to the UNFCCC secretariat their voluntary mitigation actions ahead of the end-of-month deadline.

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By Kim Moore, Point Carbon

www.pointcarbon.com