OCR Chemistry - Resources (4.2) - Actions

HOW DIFFERENT COUNTRIES/GROUPS OF COUNTRIES HAVE DECIDED TO TACKLE GLOBAL WARMING

AUSTRALIA

• set a national goal to try to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 5% below 2000 levels by 2020
• Under the climate pact, they agreed to hold the growth in its greenhouse gas emissions to 8% above 1990 levels
  • Australia met these targets by reducing deforestation and land clearing
• Under a carbon trading plan, Australia's 500 worst polluters would be forced to pay tax on every ton of carbon they emit

BRAZIL

• aims to reduce emissions to 1994 levels and cut deforestation by 80%
• NAtional Climate Change Plan is focused on expanding renewable electric energy sources and increasing the use of biofuels in vehicles
• aiming to reduce deforestation rates
• hopes to eliminate illegal deforestation and bring net loss of forest coverage to 0 by 2015

CANADA

• committed to reducing greenhouse emissions by 6%
• now aiming to reduce emissions by 17% by 2020, a pledge that matches the U.S
• today, the country;s emissions are 17% above 1990 levels because of emissions tied to the business of extracting oil from Alberta's tar sands
• is going to try to shift its electricity generation from coal to natural gas

CHINA

• hasn't made any pledges to reduce its carbon emissions
• as its economy grows, emissions will increase
• promised to ecome at least 40% more energy efficient by 2015
• the world's biggest producer and consumer of coal
• the number 1 emitter of greenhouse gases and second largest consumer of energy
• committed to boosting its forest cover
• experimenting with a carbon trading plan

EU

• have pledge to reduce emissions by 2020
• in 2005, the EU launched the biggest carbon trading market in…