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GCN in Copenhagen: Leaked UN paper shows poor countries doing more on climate than rich

18 December 2009

A draft paper apparently written by officials at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change's secretariat suggests that the combined voluntary pledges of developing countries to cut carbon emissions are greater than those of developed countries. The paper also indicates that together, developed and developing country action is likely to lead to global warming of more than 3 degrees Celsius.

The paper, prepared it seems to assess the impacts on the climate of the pledges and proposals on the table in Copenhagen, shows that unless pledges are increased or more stringent action taken after 2020, then atmospheric concentrations of carbon emissions could peak above 550 parts per million, rather than below 450 ppm, which is believed to be necessary to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius.

Read more at BBC
Read the paper