Abby L. Harvey
GHG Monitor
9/18/2015
A substantial group of U.S. and Chinese states, municipalities, provinces, and counties this week announced ambitious climate goals at the U.S.-China Climate-Smart/Low-Carbon Cities Summit in Los Angeles. The states of California and Connecticut, along with 15 U.S. cities and one county, joined the Chinese municipality of Beijing, provinces of Sichuan, Hainan, and Jilin, and seven Chinese cities in making commitments in the U.S.-China Climate Leaders’ Declaration.
“We, the leaders of States, Provinces, Cities, and Counties in China and the United States intend to take enhanced actions to mitigate carbon emissions, increase climate resilience, share experience, and strengthen bilateral cooperation,” the group wrote in the declaration.
Notable U.S. contributions include a commitment by California to reduce GHG emissions by 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030, while Connecticut pledged to reduce GHG emissions 80 percent below 2001 levels by 2050. The city of Atlanta committed to reducing GHG emissions 20 percent by 2020, 40 percent by 2030, and 80 percent by 2040 from a 2009 baseline. Boston committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020, and 80 percent by 2050, from a 2005 baseline. Los Angeles committed to a 45 percent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2025, 60 percent by 2030, and 80 percent by 2050, from a 1990 baseline. Seattle committed to being carbon neutral by 2050.
Other U.S. cities making commitments are Washington, D.C., Portland, Ore., Houston, Salt Lake City, New York City, Lancaster, Penn., Oakland, Calif., Carmel, Ind., Des Moines, Iowa, Phoenix, and San Francisco. Miami-Dade County in Florida also offered a commitment.
In China, Beijing committed to peak its CO2 emissions around 2020. The provinces of Sichuan and Hainan committed to peaking CO2 emissions by 2030, and the province of Jilin pledged to peak CO2 emissions before 2025. The cities of Shenzhen and Wuhan committed to peaking emissions by 2022. The cities of Guangzhou and Zhenjiang will peak emissions in 2020. Guiyang and Jinchang will peak emissions in 2025, and the city of Yan’an will peak emissions before 2029.
