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Noting that greenhouse gas emissions impose global risks, the Obama Administration believes that developing countries such as China and India are responsible for a growing proportion of emissions because of their heavy reliance on carbon intensive fuels, such as coal.
"Greenhouse gas emissions impose global risks. As a result, just as US efforts to reduce emissions benefit other countries, actions that other countries take to mitigate emissions benefit the United States," said the Obama Administration in its 'The Economic Report of the President', to the Congress.
Given the global nature of the problem and the declining US share of greenhouse gas emissions, US action alone to reduce those emissions are insufficient to mitigate the most serious risks from climate change, it noted.
"Developing countries such as China and India are responsible for a growing proportion of emissions because of their heavy reliance on carbon intensive fuels, such as coal," the report said.
In 1992, China's carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion were half those of the United States and represented 12 percent of global emissions.
By 2008, China's carbon dioxide emissions represented 22 per cent of global emissions from fossil fuels, exceeding the US share of 19 per cent and the European share of 15 per cent, it said.
"China's share of global emissions is projected to grow to about 29 per cent by 2030 absent new emission mitigation policies. By contrast, the US share of global emissions is projected to fall to about 15 per cent by 2030 even absent new emission mitigation policy," the report said.
Thus, Obama Administration argued, cooperation by both past and future contributors to emissions will be required to stabilize the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases.
In December, the report said, the Administration worked with major emerging economies, including Brazil, China, India, and South Africa, developed countries, and other regions around the world to secure agreement on the Copenhagen Accord.
"For the first time, the international community established a long-term goal to limit warming of global average temperature to no more than 2 degree Centigrade (3.6 degree Fahrenheit). Also for the first time, all major economies agreed to take action to address climate change," it said.
"Under the Accord, both developed and major emerging economies are in the process of submitting their emission mitigation commitments and actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," the report said.