It was announced yesterday by the administration that President Obama would indeed travel to Copenhagen, joining 170 countries for climate talks.  Last week hope for any agreement from this conference to replace the Kyoto protocols, which were essentially ignored, was all but dead.  However, China this week for the first time is proposing to join the international community and take the lead in restricting the intensity of its own CO2 emissions by 40% per unit of energy from 2005 levels.  This might not seem like much from the economic juggernaut, but it is the first time China has even considered a move like this.

The Obama administration is proposing, "a U.S. emissions reduction target in the range of 17% below 2005 levels in 2020 and ultimately in line with final U.S. energy and climate legislation."  The White House Press release goes on to say, "In light of the President's goal to reduce emissions 83% by 2050, the expected pathway set forth in this pending legislation would entail a 30% reduction below 2005 levels in 2025 and a 42% reduction below 2005 in 2030."

Considering Congress has never legislated emissions cuts before, it remains to be seen what reaction there will be from law makers.