Two expert research institutions on Friday called on G20 countries to quickly strengthen their climate commitments in an attempt to meet the goals of the Paris agreement, as they promised at the last climate conference, COP26.
None of the G20 countries are doing enough to maintain the hope of limiting warming to 1.5 ° C compared to the pre-industrial era, said in a press release Tom Evans, of the E3G institute, which publishes an analysis of these countries ’latest commitments, along with Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit.
The Paris Agreement sets the goal to contain global warming less than 2 ° C and if possible at 1.5 ° C.
At the last international climate convention, in November in Glasgow, countries pledged to renew their commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions upwards ahead of COP27 scheduled for November 2022, in Egypt. Current commitments put the Earth, whose atmosphere has already warmed by nearly 1.2 ° C, on a catastrophic warming trajectory of 2.8 ° C.
” Until now, [les pays du G20] seems to have completely forgotten the promise they made at COP26 just six months ago to strengthen their climate targets for 2030. “
The G20 countries represent about three-quarters of global emissions, while the effects of global warming are already escalating, with more frequent and intense heat waves, droughts, fires or floods.
India and Turkey did not even update their first commitments in 2015-the year of the signing of the agreement in Paris-as they should have done before the COP in Glasgow.
Same scenario for Egypt, host of the next COP27, but not part of the G20.
Australia, Brazil, Indonesia and Mexico have presented new commitments for 2030, but they have not confirmed the emission reductions already promised, according to the two NGOs.
Saudi Arabia, China and Russia, about a third of emissions, have strongly strengthened their commitments. but it is still possible to significantly improve their commitment this year, write the NGOs in their review sent in the preview to the AFP.
Other G20 countries, including the United States and major European countries in particular, have actually shown strengthened commitment, but still have not respected the level of their previous commitments, NGOs worry.
The latest report by UN climate experts (IPCC), published in early April, stressed the need for very strong and immediate emissions reductions to maintain the chance of meeting the promises of the Paris agreement.
Source: Radio-Canada