July 3, 2009 - After the passage of the American Clean Energy and Security Act by the United States Congress, the question now arises whether a global framework can be established in International Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December, when countries will negotiate a new international treaty to curb greenhouse gases.
 
The American Clean Energy and Security Act calls for the US to reduce its greenhouse-gas emissions by 17 percent from 2005 levels by 2020, and 83 percent by 2050, and reduce foreign oil imports. However, India and China argues that U.S needs to cut the emission by 40 percent from 1990 level by 2020 and 80 percent from the same year base line.
 
Untied States argues that it emits to just one fifth of world's emission far less than the per capita GDP consumption. In a trail run to what will happen in Copenhagen, Indian government has decided to ward off any pressure from the developed countries to have emission targets.
 
India's Union Minister of Environment and Forest, Jairam Ramesh said that India will not sign up to targets to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions but will instead focus on fighting poverty and boosting economic growth. The statement issued from the ministry said that India  will not sign up to targets to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions but will instead focus on fighting poverty and boosting economic growth. However, India has clarified that it's emission will not super cede the per capita emission of the developed countries.
 
On the other hand, developed countries including the U.S have been arguing that in the current economic crisis it is difficult to maintain the target emission. To put pressure on the developing countries such as India and China, the Energy Security Act had the provision of imposing fines on the imports of these countries. However, with the intervention of the U.S President Obama the provision has been scrapped.
 
China has also condemned the U.S's Climate Change Bill especially the provision to impose fines on the imports of those counties which don't bind to Climate Change. China is the world's biggest emitter of carbon dioxide (CO2). However, China's per capita emission and accumulated emissions remain much lower than those of developed economies such as U.S, Europe and Japan. China has ratified the Kyoto Protocol, the U.N.-backed treaty that spells out countries' duties in fighting climate change. As a developing country, China has not set any domestic target for emission.
 
Now the question is what will happen in Copenhagen whether India and China will accept any emission cap or will allow the developed countries to oversee its domestic emission cut program.
 
 
(The above article was written by Balaji Chandramohan, an international journalist. He can be contacted at mohanbalaji20032004@yahoo.co.in, mohanbalaji2003@gmai.com )