Six Nations Pledge CO2 Emissions Reductions

Six of the nations set to be especially affected by sea level rises have made new CO2 emissions reduction pledges as a way of expressing their determination to combat the threat of climate change.

This is according to a statement issued by the government of one of these nations – the Maldives – on 19 July 2010. The statement followed a meeting held over 17-18 July at which representatives of the Maldives plus other low-lying countries were present.

Under the terms established, the Maldives, Samoa, the Marshall Islands, Costa Rica, Antigua and Barbuda and Ethiopia have all now committed themselves to not only reduce their individual carbon footprints, but to make steps in adopting new green initiatives and strategies, too.

CO2 Emissions Reduction Targets

Individually, each country’s CO2 emissions reduction target is now as follows:

• Maldives: carbon neutrality to be achieved by 2020
• Ethiopia: carbon neutrality to be achieved by 2025
• Samoa: carbon neutrality to be achieved by 2020
• Costa Rica: carbon neutrality to be achieved by 2021
• Marshall Islands: 40 per cent CO2 emissions reduction to have been achieved by 2020
• Antigua and Barbuda: 25 per cent CO2 emissions reduction to have been achieved by 2020

“Cutting fossil fuels from our economy will benefit both the climate and our financial bottom line”, Samoa’s Natural Resources and Environment minister, Faumuina Tiatia, stated, adding: “It is much cheaper for us to generate electricity from renewable sources than to import increasingly-expensive oil.”

Carbon Neutrality

Carbon neutrality is a state in which carbon emissions are offset – either through carbon credit purchases or technologies like CCS: Carbon Capture and Storage – with the effect that the carbon footprint is effectively reduced to zero.

“These developing countries are pursuing low carbon growth and green development because it is in their fundamental economic and security interests to do so”, Maldives President Mohammed Nasheed commented.

“When those with the least start doing the most, it shows that everyone’s ambitions can be raised.”

As reported by Enviro News, the Maldives originally announced its intention to go 100 per cent carbon neutral in March 2009. More recently, it unveiled a pioneering plan to use coconuts to capture carbon dioxide emissions.