The Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) says that it has received pledges from 55 countries to limit and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. For companies, particularly large multi-nationals with facilities around the world, the pledges are a useful indication of the first or additional requirements the companies will have to meet.
The Copenhagen Accord called for countries to submit their emissions targets to the UNFCCC by the end of January. Fifty-five of the almost 200 countries in attendance in Copenhagen may not sound like much. But they represent 78 percent of all global emissions from energy use. Among industrialized countries, the commitments come from Australia, Canada, Croatia, the European Union and its member states, Japan, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Norway, the Russian Federation, and the United States. Commitments also came from almost two dozen developing nations, including the all-important "BASIC" group (Brazil, South Africa, India, China, and the Republic of Korea).
Many commitments, particularly those of developed countries, hinge on similar commitments being made by other countries. They also use varying base years to establish their targets. Consistent with President Obama’s promise at Copenhagen, the United States committed to reduce emissions "in the range of" 17 percent below 2005 levels, "in conformity with anticipated US energy and climate legislation, recognizing that the final target will be reported to the Secretariat in light of enacted legislation." The Secretariat noted that the next round of formal negotiations is scheduled for Bonn at the end of May, although several countries have indicated their wish to see a quick return to the negotiations with more meetings than the scheduled sessions. Here are the pledges from industrialized countries and here from developing countries.