U.S. May Not Make Emissions Pledge in Copenhagen, Pershing Says

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http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601102&sid=aJD6KWQ9yPWY

U.S. May Not Make Emissions Pledge in Copenhagen, Pershing Says

By Daniel Ten Kate and Alex Morales

Oct. 9 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. may not agree to cut greenhouse-gas emissions in a new treaty this year because there is no domestic law setting a framework, the country’s top negotiator said at United Nations climate talks in Bangkok.

Without legislation advancing in Congress, it will be difficult for the world’s biggest economy to pledge an emissions target for itself, U.S. negotiator Jonathan Pershing told reporters today as negotiations wound up in the Thai capital.

“It will be extraordinarily difficult for the U.S. to commit to a specific number in the absence of action from Congress,” Pershing said. “The question is open as to how much we can do. It’s not really possible to answer.”

The UN aims to approve a treaty to stem global warming by December in Copenhagen. Countries have three weeks of talks left to close gaps in the accord to reduce heat-trapping gases: one in Barcelona next month, and two in the Danish capital.

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