US promises agreement to international emissions commitment

Should India and China match the pledge, a white house official yesterday stated that the US would commit to a binding international agreement to cut greenhouse gas emissions by this summer.

Chairman of the White House’s Council on Environmental Quality, James Connaughton, held the opinion that accusations that the US is only concerned with setting voluntary emissions targets are, in fact, false.

He discussed the idea that the US is willing to sign a binding international agreement only so long as the major developing economies are also prepared to sign.

He held the belief that the US was at a more advanced stage than Europe in terms f setting compulsory goals for sectors including renewable fuel efficiency, lighting efficiency and fuel economy.

Connaughton also confirmed that the likelihood of the US setting up an economy-wide goal is high.

He then spoke of the fact that a meeting taking place in April, in Paris, consisting of representatives from the world’s 17 largest economies will focus on setting an agreed target. The G8 meeting in July would then be able to formalise the agreement.

Officials across Europe agreed that the US announcement showed a significant change in Washington’s language. Officials did, however, believe that the industrialised world should be taking the lead in global warming.