US climate action plan unambitious: CSE

New Delhi: The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on Wednesday said the climate action plan of the US was "unambitious and inequitous" as the country was not doing "anything extra" for climate change.

"Most of the changes are happening naturally and automatically because of economic reasons and market forces... The US INDC (Intended Nationally Determined Contribution) is neither ambitious nor equitable," said CSE Director General Sunita Narain while releasing a report here.

She said the CSE report - titled 'Capitan America: US climate goals - a reckoning'- showed that the key economic sectors of the US economy - energy, transport and industry would continue to operate till 2030 in a "business-as-usual way", even as the rest of the world geared up to fight climate change.

The study said the INDC of the US pledged to reduce emissions by 26-28 per cent below 2005 levels by 2025 which is equivalent to emissions cut by 13-15 per cent by 2025 below 1990 levels.

In 2025, the US per capita emissions would be 13.5 tonnes, European Union 7.0 tonnes and India 3.0-3.5 tonnes, it said, adding that by not taking ambitious action, the US was shifting the burden of fighting climate change on to other countries.

The study said the fossil fuel would contribute 76 per cent of total primary energy in the US, while Athe renewable contribution standing at 15 per cent by 2030.

It also said the US climate policy does not address the issue of burgeoning consumption of goods and services.

So far, 120 countries have made submissions regarding their respective climate action plans, also known as INDC, which would serve as the basis of negotiation during 21st session of Conference of Parties in Paris from November 30 to December 11.

The conference needs to achieve a new international agreement on climate, applicable to all countries, with the aim of keeping global warming below two degrees Celsius.