No binding cuts on carbon emissions: top negotiator

The world's greenhouse gas emissions this century have exceeded the maximum for avoiding the worst climate change by an amount equal to the combined annual emissions of China and the US, says a study.

According to global accounting firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers, that authored the report, almost all major nations including the EU countries that pride themselves for their climate policies, are actualy lagging since 2000 in their carbon eduction efforts.

The study said the world had already exceeded the limit of 1,300 billion tons of carbon dioxide for total emissions to be achieved from 2000-to 2050. The study estimates the 1,300-billion ton limit the maximum permissible for avoiding the worst effects of climate change.

China and the US emit the maximum carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels and are the top greenhouse gas emitters.

Meanwhile, according to environmentalists, the world has improved its carbon intensity (the amount of carbon dioxide emitted per dollar of economic output) in theis century by only 0.8 per cent a year.

According to Richard Gledhill, global leader of climate change at PwC, to get back on track the global carbon intensity would need to fall by about 3 per cent a year or four times the present speed.