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The United Nations (UN) has published the commitments emerging countries mandated to reduce emissions at the last climate conference in Cancun in December.

Major emitter China made one of the largest emissions reductions commitments, aiming to lower its carbon emissions by between 40 and 45 per cent in 2020 compared to 2005 levels. The country said it intends non-fossil fuels to make up 15 per cent of its mainstream energy consumption by the target date.
Another ambitious pledge came from Colombia, which said it will guarantee meeting at least 77 per cent of its total energy capacity with renewable energy by 2020 and cut deforestation altogether. Colombia also voiced support for market-based mechanisms to reduce greenhouse gases, having a full project portfolio under the UN Clean Development Mechanism.
The document released by the UN shows that Afghanistan explicitly called for increased technical collaboration and negotiations in the lead up to Cancun in the hope of establishing a climate change regime beyond 2012, when the Kyoto Protocol expires. The country said it will include mitigation strategies and activities in its national communication, but did not specify what actions it will take.
Israel said it hopes to achieve ten per cent renewable energy adoption and a 20 per cent reduction in electricity consumption by 2020, pledging to reduce its emissions by a modest 20 per cent in this timeframe. Its neighbour Jordan wants biogas to become one of its main sources of electricity in the coming years. The kingdom said it will cease the importation of old trucks and introduce a green transport system, as well as implementing energy efficiency programmes. It has already removed taxes on energy saving technologies including hybrid cars, as well as enacting a renewable energy law.
Africa
African countries have made some of the most far-reaching commitments to emissions reduction and renewable energy development in the coming decades, with South Africa adopting a step-change in emissions mitigation. The country said it will reduce its emissions by 34 per cent in 2020 compared to business as usual, increasing this commitment to 42 per cent five years later. Morocco is looking to install 100 hydro plants between now and 2030, with 40MW due to operate in 2013. It also plans to develop 2GW of solar on five sites, which it will commission from 2015 to 2020, together with a 5GW wind farm by 2030.
Botswana committed to green capacity-building activities and a shift from coal to renewables, biomass, carbon capture and even nuclear. The Central African Republic said it will implement a new programme to build rural ecological villages that incorporate renewable energies and install up to 35MW of mini hydroelectric plants by 2030 at Toutoubou, Baidou, Nakombo-Soso, Kembé and la-Mbi waterfalls. Chad, a landlocked country in central Africa, revealed it is aiming to develop solar and wind projects and to use biofuel and biogas, while promoting energy efficiency measures.
The Republic of the Congo, with an economy largely based on petroleum, has committed to develop hydro potential, promote energy efficiency, improve transport infrastructure and recover flared gas in oil production, although it has not committed to reduce oil production.
Latin America & Asia
Brazil, which sources a large proportion of power from biomass, plans to reduce its emissions intensity by up to 39 per cent below its projected emissions. It has also committed to vastly reduce deforestation in the Amazon. India has already communicated that it seeks to reduce emissions intensity by up to 25 per cent by 2020 compared to 2005 levels, but stressed that its actions are voluntary and not legally-binding.
Mexico and South Korea said they will cut emissions 30 per cent compared to business as usual by 2020. Chile aims to reduce emissions 20 per cent below business as usual emissions by 2020, while industrialised Singapore aims to reduce emissions by 16 per cent.
Mongolia plans to install large-scale photovoltaic systems in the Gobi desert and is looking to expand wind capacity and build hydro plants of up to 110MW at 20 identified sites.