Source: China News Network
According to Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao, the G20 leaders held talks in Rome on October 30 and 31. Under the draft, they pledged to take urgent measures to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
According to a draft G20 communiqué obtained by Reuters, the G20 will send a positive signal on climate change at a summit in Italy. They will commit to addressing the existential threats posed by climate change, paving the way for more concrete action at next week's UN climate change summit.
Infographic: International Media Center, 13th G20 Summit. Photo by China News Service reporter Sheng Jiapeng
G20 leaders held talks in Rome for two consecutive days. Under the draft, they pledged to take urgent measures to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
In the 2015 Paris Agreement, parties pledged to limit global temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to limit the increase to as much as possible to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Later, as extreme weather events occur frequently and carbon levels in the atmosphere increase, climate scientists increasingly emphasize the importance of a ceiling of 1.5 degrees Celsius to limit the risk of environmental disasters.
The 11-page draft says the G20 responded to the call of the scientific community by taking note of the shocking report published by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). "Given our leadership, we are committed to addressing the existential challenges of climate change... We also recognize that the impact of climate change at 1.5 degrees Celsius is much smaller than at 2 degrees Celsius, so immediate action must be taken to keep 1.5 degrees Celsius within achievable range. ”
The G20 said they understand the important relevance of achieving net zero global greenhouse gas emissions, or carbon neutrality, by 2050. However, the inclusion of the date 2050 in brackets in the draft indicates that negotiations are still to be made.
Infographic: Workers clean up oil on the beach after an oil spill on the southern coast of California, USA.
In addition, the G20 reiterated its commitment to phase out subsidies for fossil fuels and to end the use of carbon energy by 2025. At the same time, recognize the importance of using US$100 billion (about S$134 billion) per year to help other countries reduce emissions until 2025.
While rich countries have pledged to help developing countries reduce emissions, those pledges have been delayed in fully delivering, and Shama, president of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), said this week that he hoped the funds could be in place by 2023, three years later than the original date.
Bloomberg quoted some G20 officials as revealing that G20 negotiations are currently very slow, especially in the climate and energy sectors.
The G20 has a pivotal impact on addressing major issues around the world. Its members account for more than 80% of the world's gross domestic product (GDP), 60% of the world's total population, and an estimated 80% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
G20 member leaders will attend COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, following the meeting. The Conference is estimated to involve as many as 200 countries.