Ministers from the International Energy Agency member countries Thursday committed to a goal to cut developed countries' emissions by 80% or more and to halve them globally by 2050, the organization said.
At its ministerial meeting at its Paris headquarters, ministers from the IEA's 28 member countries also noted the common goal to stabilize carbon dioxide emissions at 450 parts per million to limit global temperatures from rising more than two degrees Celsius.
"These are both important and vital steps on the way to a broader international climate change agreement in Copenhagen later this year," IEA Executive Director Nobuo Tanaka said in a statement after the meeting that also included representatives from China, Russia and India.
Analysis from the IEA's '450 scenario' from the World Energy Outlook 2009 due to be published in November shows greenhouse gas emissions must begin declining by 2020 if the world is to avoid catastrophic climate change.
IEA ministers also noted in a communique the current economic crisis should be used as an opportunity to invest in a cleaner energy future.
Around 10% of the $1.8 trillion stimulus programs in IEA member countries are earmarked for clean energy technologies and energy efficiency, the communique said.
"This investment represents a down payment on the massive investment required to transform our energy systems in line with IEA proposals for green growth," Tanaka said.