Climate Transparency Asks The G20 To Increase Its Commitments

The 2021 Climate Transparency Report highlighted that the increase in the global average temperature will not be less than 1.5 degrees by the end of the century if the G20 countries do not set more ambitious objectives against climate change.

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The G20 is an intergovernmental forum comprising Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union.

By August, 14 of its members submitted National Emission Reduction Plans (NDC). The most ambitious proposals were developed by Argentina, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, South Africa, the U.K., and the U.S. So far, however, the G20 NDCs allow to foresee that the increase in temperature will be 2.4 degrees at the end of the 21st century if there is no greater commitment on the part of governments.

“G20 governments need to come to the table with more ambitious national emission reductions targets… We can’t move the dial without them – they know it, we know it – the ball is firmly in their court ahead of COP26,” said Kim Coetzee, who coordinated the 2021 report.

Climate Transparency recalls that the energy transition is essential to achieve the emission reduction targets included in the Paris Agreement, an issue that should be discussed at United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) to be held in Glasgow in November. In 2020, at least 80.8 percent of the primary energy available in the G20 countries was fossil in origin and that percentage will increase slightly this year.

"The members of the G20 must prioritize investments in renewable energy," the Climate Transparency report pointed out and called on governments to promote the use of low-carbon fuels and prohibit the sale of vehicles with internal combustion engines in 2035.

It also urges the G20 countries to demand that all new buildings meet energy efficiency standards and have "zero emission" technologies. To contain accelerated global climate change, countries must also contain deforestation of primary forests and encourage consumption patterns not based on beef.