Climate change could be tackled by an international agreement, lead by the United States and China, but the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says a new pact between the nations is not enough to combat the problem.
United Nations scientists referred to the new agreement as "heartening," but said it fell well short of what is needed to reverse global warming.
China has agreed to start reducing their emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, starting after the year 2030. The United States, in turn, pledged to reduce output of the chemicals into the atmosphere by 25 percent under 2005 levels by the year 2025.
"Anyone skeptical that the Sino-U.S. announcement is without substance ought to consider that it is the culmination of nine months of secret talks, and has involved leadership right up to presidential offices," David Holmes, Senior Lecturer in Communications and Media at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, wrote in an article for CNN.
The IPCC previously stated nations would need to reach zero net emissions by the year 2100 in order to avoid the worst possible damage from global warming. This new agreement between the two largest producers of greenhouse gases falls far short of that goal. However, the pact is seen as the first agreement requiring wealthier nations to assume greater responsibility than the rest of the world for combating global climate change.
"This is a heartening development. This is a good beginning and I hope the global community follows this lead and maybe builds on it," Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), said.
Developing nations state that richer nations, such as the United States, released most of the greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and should bear a greater share of the costs for reducing concentrations. Many of these countries are calling for the United States and other wealthy nations to reduce emissions by between 25 and 40 percent below 1990 levels. The new agreement mandates American greenhouse gas reductions of around 16 percent.
The European Union has agreed to work toward greenhouse gas reductions of 40 percent below 1990 levels.
China surpassed the United States as the largest producer of greenhouse gases in 2007. Although that nation still emits more of the chemicals than any other country, they have also developed vast networks of renewable energy sources.
Washington insists China and other countries must accept caps on their future emissions, and reduce the amount of greenhouse gases they currently produce.
Nearly 200 nations will meet in Paris in 2015, attempting to negotiate a comprehensive agreement on global warming.
