Climate crisis: G20 group promises climate protection and argues about goals

Climate crisis
G20 group promises climate protection and argues about goals

The major industrialized nations (G20) want to make new promises on climate protection at their summit this weekend in Rome, but are still divided on specific goals.

In a draft of the final communiqué, which was available to the German press agency, calls for “immediate action” to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. However, it is disputed whether the G20 will also commit to a common goal of net zero emissions of greenhouse gases or carbon dioxide neutrality by 2050. Climate protection activists were disappointed with the draft text: It remains too vague.

In the document, the target year 2050 is still in brackets. China, as by far the largest producer of carbon dioxide, has so far only committed itself to wanting to become carbon dioxide neutral by 2060. Net zero means that all greenhouse gas emissions must be removed from the atmosphere again through reduction measures. This would make mankind climate neutral and, according to researchers, the global temperature would presumably stabilize. The G20 countries are responsible for more than 75 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions.

The heads of state and government also want to prepare the world climate meeting (COP26) at their summit in Rome, which begins on Sunday in Glasgow, Scotland. The aim is to discuss how the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement target of limiting dangerous global warming to 1.5 degrees as possible compared to the pre-industrial era can be achieved.

Criticism of the draft

Development organizations have called for new commitments from the G20. “We need a strong signal so that the World Climate Conference gets on the right track and does not end in a dead end,” said Jörn Kalinski from Oxfam. “We have to go down with emissions and up with climate finance.” Friederike Meister from the Global Citizen movement said, “The G20 summit sets the course for the success or failure of the climate conference”. As the “world’s largest polluter”, the G20 states have a special responsibility.

It is also controversial in the draft whether the G20 wants to commit itself to taking further measures “in the 2020s”, formulating national action plans, implementing them and regularly reviewing them. From the point of view of climate protection activists, such accelerated action would be necessary.

“Unfortunately, the draft text does not express the necessary determination,” criticized the climate expert Jan Kowalzig from Oxfam. “The G20 states should ring all alarm bells that their own hesitation threatens to burn the planet.” The gap between the 1.5 degree target and the action plans is recognized, “but the call for more climate protection is too non-binding and too vague”. The summit should actually send “the clear signal” that all G20 countries will make further thorough improvements to their climate protection contributions by next year – and then win over all other countries at the World Climate Conference in Glasgow.

In the draft, the G20 group reaffirmed its goal of a “largely” carbon dioxide-free electricity sector in the 2030s. Originally, according to dpa information, there was talk of an “overwhelming” majority in the electricity sector that should be free of carbon dioxide. The states want to “do their utmost” to avoid the construction of new coal-fired power plants, although exceptions are allowed by “taking national circumstances into account”.

It is recognized that “the gap” between the action plans presented and the Paris goals must be closed. According to a recent UN report, the efforts of the international community are nowhere near enough. With the latest climate promises made by the countries, greenhouse gases would only be reduced by 7.5 percent by 2030. However, 55 percent would be required for the 1.5 degree target – 30 percent for 2 degrees.

dpa