Chronicle Editor
Leaders of the world’s major economies have set an ambition to reach carbon neutrality ‘‘by or around mid-century’’ as they end a G20 summit ahead of the COP26 climate conference.
In a draft of their final communique seen by the BBC, the G20 say they have also agreed to pursue efforts to limit global warming to 1.5C.
That goes further than the 2015 Paris agreement, in which much of the world agreed to keep global warming ‘‘well below’’ 2C, and ideally closer to 1.5C.
The draft communique calls for ‘‘meaningful and effective actions and a commitment by all countries’’, a softer form of words than an early draft which mentioned “immediate action”.
BBC Rome correspondent Mark Lowen said there had been suggestions that Italy had been pushing for a commitment from the G20 to reduce carbon emissions to net-zero by 2050, but there had been resistance from China, which relies extensively on coal power, to set that date. He said the communique would be seen as progress going into Glasgow, but it included few concrete actions. The G20 — made up of 19 countries and the European Union —represent between them 80% of the world’s carbon emissions. — BBC news
Online Reporter