Germany, Brazil make climate commitment

Germany and Brazil joined forces this week on climate change, pledging to work together on reducing carbon emissions and curbing deforestation within the next 15 years. 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff discussed climate change extensively during Merkel’s visit to the country this week, Reuters reports. 

{mosads}On Thursday, the two leaders said they were both committed to the goal of ending the use of fossil fuels around the world by the end of the century, a goal set ahead of a major United Nations climate conference later this year. 

Rousseff said she will also look to reach net zero deforestation in the Amazon by 2030. 

Germany said it would donate $25.7 million to that cause, as well as more than $1 billion to finance renewable energy sources and clean energy programs in Brazil. 

“We agreed on common actions to deal with one of the most important challenges of the 21st century,” Rousseff said, according to Reuters. 

The announcement comes the same day a European Union official chided several countries, including Brazil, for failing to identify how they intend to reduce carbon emissions. 

The U.N. has asked countries to set emission reduction goals ahead of a December conference focused on hatching a plan to keep the Earth from warming by more than 2 degrees Celsius. 

The United States has said it will look to cut its emissions by up to 28 percent from 2005 levels by 2025. The EU has committed to a 40 percent cut, from 1990 levels, before 2030. 

Brazil, one of the world’s top 10 carbon emitters, is one of several countries that has not released its plan.  

“We must have a clear idea of the aggregate effort before we meet in Paris and where we stand with regards to the below 2 degrees objective,” EU climate commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete said.