Brazil eyes capping emissions at 2005 levels

* Minc wants greenhouse gases capped at 2005 levels

* Would cost Brazil $10 bln annually

* Brazil aims to cut Amazon deforestation 80 pct by 2020

By Raymond Colitt

BRASILIA, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Brazil is considering capping its greenhouse gas emissions at 2005 levels as it finalizes its proposals ahead of December's global climate summit, Environment Minister Carlos Minc said on Tuesday.

Minc said he proposed the target during a meeting with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and several other Cabinet members as Brazil seeks to define this month its final proposal for the United Nations climate summit in Copenhagen.

The South American nation is expected to play a key role in negotiations at the Copenhagen summit that will seek to frame a new international treaty on climate change. The U.N. climate talks aim to reach agreement on a post-Kyoto pact to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which are blamed for global warming.

"We can reach 2020 with levels similar to those of 2005, even with (economic) growth of 4 percent annually," Minc told reporters after the meeting.

Brazil emitted roughly 2.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide in 2005, the bulk of it from Amazon forest destruction. If it adopted no mitigation measures, its emissions would increase to 2.8 billion tons annually by 2020, Minc said.