US carbon stance towards China

This marks a change.

The US said today it would not demand that China commits to binding cuts in its greenhouse gas emissions, marking an important step towards agreement on a global treaty to fight climate change.....

Jonathan Pershing, head of the US ­delegation in Bonn, said developing countries – seeking to grow their economies and alleviate poverty – would instead be asked to commit to other actions. These include increasing energy efficiency standards and improving the take-up of renewable energy, but would not deliver specific reductions.

He said: "We're saying that the actions of developing countries should be binding, not the outcomes of those actions."

Only developed countries, including the US, would be expected to guarantee cuts.

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