Global Warming

US and Chinese proposals for tackling greenhouse gases were hailed Thursday while confirmation their leaders will attend next month's climate summit boosted hopes for a global-warming accord. Beijing unveiled its first targets for tackling its emissions and announced that Premier Wen Jiabao would take part in the Copenhagen summit, soon after Washington confirmed that US President Barack Obama would also be there. China and the United States are the world's top two sources of greenhouse gases and considered critical to any progress at the UN-sponsored talks starting on December 7. China's cabinet said in a statement the Asian superpower would cut the intensity of ... Read Full Story

China announced its first targets for limiting carbon emissions on Thursday, joining the United States in revealing the stance it will take at next month's high-stakes climate summit. China will cut the intensity of carbon dioxide emissions per unit of gross domestic product in 2020 by 40 to 45 percent from 2005 levels, a statement from the State Council, or cabinet, said. "This is a voluntary action taken by the Chinese government based on its own national conditions and is a major contribution to the global effort in tackling climate change," the statement said. It added that China would face "enormous pressure and special ... Read Full Story

President Barack Obama will head to next month's Copenhagen climate summit to offer the first US plan to cut carbon emissions, officials said, reviving hopes the closely watched meeting will succeed. The Obama administration offered to curb US emissions by 17 percent from 2005 levels by 2020 -- less than calls by the European Union, Japan and UN scientists but the first numbers on the table by the world's largest economy. "The president going to Copenhagen will give positive momentum to the negotiations and we think will enhance the prospects for success," Carol Browner, Obama's top aide on climate policy, told reporters. Nobel Peace ... Read Full Story

US President Barack Obama confirmed Wednesday he will attend a major climate summit next month, providing a shot in the arm for the talks after China said it is unlikely to cut gas emissions. Obama's confirmation came after the United States indicated it would set targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the December 7-18 UN summit in Copenhagen, but his attendance had been seen as crucial to the negotiations. Dozens of world leaders had already committed to attending, and while many have doused expectations that a final deal could emerge to replace the Kyoto Protocol, hopes remain for an interim agreement ahead of ... Read Full Story

Climate change will imperil health through malaria, cholera, heatwaves and hunger, but many problems can be eased or avoided if countries make wise policy choices, doctors said on Wednesday. In a series of papers issued ahead of the UN climate conference in Copenhagen, experts challenged governments to factor in public health when conceiving a battle plan for global warming. "In view of the trillions of dollars likely to be spent on greenhouse-gas mitigation in the coming decades, the relatively small resources needed to guide investments along paths bringing the world closer to its health and climate goals would be money well spent," they said. ... Read Full Story