US And Brazil Commit To Climate, Renewable Energy Goals
Source: Huffington Post
As part of the commitment, both countries pledged to increase their targets for renewable energy drawn from sources other than hydropower. The United States agreed to increase its share of renewable energy to 20 percent by 2030 -- which is about triple the percentage of energy currently produced from non-hydro renewables.
"We believe this is an ambitious target, but one that is actually achievable in a way that will create new, low-cost opportunities for the American economy," Brian Deese, senior adviser to the president, said Tuesday morning in a call with reporters. He said the administration believes the target can be reached as part of states' plans to comply with the Environmental Protection Agency's strategy to cut carbon emissions from power plants.
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The United States previously released its commitment to cutting emissions 26 to 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025, in what is known as an Intended Nationally Determined Contributions, or INDC, through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change process. The U.S. has reduced emissions 10 percent since 2005.
Brazil, which has cut its emissions 41 percent in the past 10 years, has not yet released its INDC but committed in the new bilateral agreement to "present a fair and ambitious intended nationally determined contribution that represents its highest possible effort beyond its current actions." The country also committed to restoring and reforesting 12 million hectares of forest by 2030 -- an area roughly the size of Pennsylvania.
Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/30/us-brazil-climate_n_7696454.html
First China, now Brazil. Without Congressional interest in the subject, this is all we can do really.
The reforestation commitment would be literally huge if true. Hope it's native, wild forest instead of industrial tree farming.
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