Non Kyoto parties need to do more on emissions: EU

Doha: The EU today pitched for the need to "decouple" carbon emissions and GDP growth rates while asking major polluters, including non-parties to the Kyoto Protocol, to put in more efforts to reduce their emissions in the shorter term.

Contending that it was already doing more than anybody else to reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases, the European Union bloc said it was willing to accept a ratifiable second commitment period under Kyoto Protocol that would come into effect from January 1, but it would still leave 85 per cent of the world`s emitters out of it ambit. As the negotiations to decide the second commitment period of Kyoto Protocol as well as a successor treaty entered the second week today, European Commissioner for Climate Action Connie Hedegaard said it was time to "move forward together". Commenting on actions taken by China on the issue of climate change, she said the emissions of the country had grown faster than its GDP which is a matter of concern. Developing nations like China and India have argued that every nation should get an equal share in growth and industrial development which is often considered proportional to carbon emissions. Hedegaard said in Doha the world is attempting to transition from an old system of two track negotiations to a future system of one track negotiation, there was a chance to decouple the link. "We have seen actions (from China) but we have also seen emissions increase. Actually emissions are growing even more than the GDP growth. There is a chance for China and everybody else to decouple emission and GDP growth rates," she said. Some countries including the US have much higher per capita emissions than the countries who are taking commitments, she pointed out. "We are willing to take a ratifiable second commitment period under KP 2. We would make wider applications of the second commitment period in 28 days from now. I would urge everyone not to forget to focus on the remaining countries that account for 85 per cent of the carbon emissions as to what they are doing in the shorter term," Hedegaard told a press conference here. She said the bloc was very much on track to meet the 20 per cent commitment for emission reduction over 1990 levels by 2020 and would "over achieve" the target. Scientists have said that global carbon dioxide emissions are set to reach a record high this year, hitting 35.6 billion tonnes. According to a report by the Global Carbon Project, there will be a 2.6 per cent rise in CO2 emissions in 2012 compared to the year before. China, the US and the European Union accounted for the most emissions, with 28 per cent, 16 per cent and 11 per cent respectively. India followed with seven per cent of emissions. PTI