Page last updated at 10:37 GMT, Saturday, 19 December 2009

Copenhagen climate accord: Key issues

The BBC's environment correspondent Richard Black analyses key elements of the US-backed climate deal agreed in Copenhagen.


One widely-accepted definition of "dangerous climate change" is that it begins at a global temperature rise of 2C.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recommends that to have a good chance of avoiding this definition of "dangerous climate change", developed countries cut emissions by at least 25% from 1990 levels by 2020, and that global emissions must peak and begin to decline by 2020 at the latest.

This agreement "recognises" the 2C goal but does not endorse it. There is no peak year, and no collective target for cutting emissions.

The EU considers this package so weak that it will maintain its lower pledge of keeping its emissions 20% below 1990 levels by 2020, rather than going to its alternative higher figure of 30%.

Other countries such as Japan and Australia are also likely to stick with their minimum levels of ambition.

This puts the globe more on track to a 3C rather than a 2C rise.


Sources close to the green business community say the deal is unlikely to stimulate investment in low-carbon technologies.

That requires either a functioning carbon market with a high enough carbon price to persuade companies to invest, or a state-directed system of financial levers.

Without near-term ramping-up of research, development and deployment of low-carbon technologies, the date by which emissions peak moves further into the distance, if it happens at all.







Ethiopia' President Meles Zenawi emerged as Africa's political victor - the chosen champion of France and the UK as they sought African support for their finance proposal. He delivered the African Union.


An immaculately choreographed presentation sequence by the White House saw US journalists only invited into crucial meetings and given briefings ahead of others.

Mr Obama announced the deal live on air to a US audience before most governments had even seen the document involved, ensuring he set the editorial agenda, at least in the US.

Exclusion of NGOs and press from the final day's politicking ensured scrutiny of draft agreements was always a beat behind the action.

Senators opposed to cap-and-trade legislation may call the president over less than firm language on monitoring and verification of developing countries' emissions.







Print Sponsor

Has China's housing bubble burst?
How the world's oldest clove tree defied an empire
Why Royal Ballet principal Sergei Polunin quit


Sign in

BBC navigation



Americas Africa Europe Middle East South Asia Asia Pacific