Major non-OECD must halt CO2 growth by 2020: IEA

By David Fogarty and Gerard Wynn

BANGKOK/LONDON (Reuters) - Carbon emissions from a group of richer emerging economies including Russia, China and the Middle East must stop growing by 2020 to control global warming, the International Energy Agency said on Tuesday.

Developing countries appeared far from committing to that, however, at Sept 28-Oct 9 talks in Thailand meant to drive agreement on a new climate pact in Copenhagen in December.

Rich countries must lead the way in a global effort to stop growth in carbon emissions from burning oil, coal and gas to produce energy, the IEA said on the sidelines of the U.N.-led talks in Bangkok.

Carbon emissions will fall by as much as 3 percent this year following the economic crisis, aiding the climate effort, added the energy adviser to 28 industrialized countries.

"We need an energy and environmental revolution," IEA chief Nobuo Tanaka told reporters in Bangkok. "We can deliver, it is achievable."

One consequence of firmer climate action would be less use for fossil fuels including oil, with demand peaking before 2020 as a result of efficiency measures and new access to wind and solar power, the IEA said.

That would ease global security of energy supply concerns, said Fatih Birol, IEA chief economist. "In the OCED countries oil imports in 2030 are 7 million barrels per day less," if the world agreed an ambitious climate deal, he said.

The IEA report, an early release from its annual World Energy Outlook, said $10.5 trillion extra energy investment would be needed from 2010-2030 to control carbon emissions, or between half and 1 percent of global economic output.