Brazil steps up climate emissions goal; critics unimpressed

By DAVID BILLER and DÉBORA ÁLVARES
Associated Press

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil’s government has stepped up its commitment against greenhouse gas emissions, aiming to halve them by 2030 as compared to 2005 levels. Brazil previously targeted 43% fewer emissions by 2030 versus 25 years earlier. But experts accuse Brazil of adjusting its emissions targets last year in a way that would allow it to release more greenhouse gas into the atmosphere. Still, the announcement in Glasgow represents another effort by the Brazilian government to project itself as a responsible environmental steward in the wake of surging deforestation and fires in the Amazon rainforest and Pantanal wetlands over recent years.