Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
FY2014 budget, as in previous budgets, to eliminate U.S. tax
provisions that benefit fossil fuel supply.
Negotiating a global free trade agreement on environmental goods and
services under the World Trade Organization (WTO). The President
said such a global agreement would build on the 2011 agreement
under the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies to
reduce tariffs to 5% or less by 2015 on a negotiated list of 54
environmental goods. The plan calls for negotiation at the WTO of a
plurilateral agreement to eliminate tariffs on environmental goods
with countries that account for 90% of global trade in environmental
goods. It also calls for inclusion of environmental services in the
ongoing plurilateral Trade in International Services agreement. These
talks seek to supplant the thus far unsuccessful multilateral
negotiations on environmental goods and services at the WTO Doha
Round.
Supporting reduction of emissions from deforestation and forest
degradation (REDD) globally. The Agency for International
Development (AID) works bilaterally and multilaterally through the
Forest Investment Program, the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility,
the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and the Tropical Forest
Alliance 2020.
Supporting international cooperation to reduce so-called ―super-
pollutants‖, gases and aerosol pollutants that are highly potent but
short-lived once emitted to, or formed from emissions in, the
atmosphere. The Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-
Lived Climate Pollution was formed among a group of like-minded
countries in February 2012 to promote reduction of methane, black
carbon, HFC, and other pollutants with potent influence on the
climate.
In cooperation under the UNFCCC, the Obama Administration pledged to
help mobilize $30 billion of financing during 2010-2012 to assist developing
countries mitigate GHG emissions and adapt to climate change. The $30
billion was intended as a publicly funded ―fast start‖ toward stimulating
financing - both public and private - of $100 billion annually by 2020. The
President stated the United States met its pledge for the 2010-2012 ―fast-start‖
financing with approximately $7.5 billion in that three-year period.
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The June
2013 Plan speaks to the pledge for 2020 financing in general terms only.
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