Five years have passed since the adoption of the Paris Agreement, an international framework for combating global warming, and an online summit meeting was held to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to virtually zero by 2050. Leaders from more than 70 countries have shown their willingness to step up their efforts, including stating that they are aiming for it.

The Paris Agreement is an international framework for global warming countermeasures adopted in 2015, with the goal of making efforts to limit the rise in global average temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to before the Industrial Revolution.



12 days, France and the United Nations in accordance with that celebrated its 5 years from adoption, the United Kingdom held a meeting of leaders class online, the Japanese Prime Minister Kan and China Xi Jinping Jintao, such as more than 70 countries summit, He showed his willingness to step up efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the effects of global warming.



Among them, Pakistan's Prime Minister Khan announced that he would stop building a new coal-fired power plant, and Britain's Prime Minister Johnson announced that he would not provide financial support for oil and natural gas development overseas.



In addition, Argentina and Jamaica have announced that they will aim for virtually zero greenhouse gas emissions.

At a press conference after the meeting, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, "Today we have taken an important step, but it is not enough. We still need the participation of major emitting countries." G20 = 20 major countries this time. He emphasized the need for efforts with Russia, Australia, Brazil, etc., who did not participate in the meeting and did not express a goal of virtually zero.



Meanwhile, US President-elect Joe Biden announced his return to the Paris Agreement, said Secretary-General António Guterres. "It's a very important signal. I look forward to the active leadership of the United States in dealing with climate change in the future. I'm welcome. "

The reduction targets of each country

With regard to virtually zero greenhouse gas emissions, there are widespread movements among countries to set goals, such as being shown one after another at this meeting.



Among the world's largest emitting countries, China is Xi Jinping Jintao is about the emissions of this year September greenhouse gas expressed as "peaked in 2030, to strive to achieve a virtually zero until 2060" want did.



By 2030, GDP = carbon dioxide emissions per gross domestic product will be reduced by more than 65% compared to 2005, and the installed capacity of solar and wind power will be increased to more than 1.2 billion kilowatts. We also clarified the policy to do so.



In October, the Japanese government announced a policy of "zero greenhouse gas emissions as a whole by 2050."



The South Korean government is also aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050.



In addition, the EU announced last year that it would aim for virtually zero by 2050, and at a summit meeting this month it agreed to raise its target by 2030 and reduce emissions by at least 55% compared to 1990. I stated that I did.



Prior to the meeting, the United Kingdom, which chairs COP26, the UN conference on global warming countermeasures to be held next year, has announced new goals to reduce emissions by at least 68% compared to 1990 by 2030.



Regarding these movements in each country, Sebastian Treyer, director of the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations, a French think tank, said, "One of the reasons for the announcements by China, Japan and South Korea is that the price of renewable energy is an economic perspective. It is a very attractive level from the beginning. "



"The return of the United States to the Paris Agreement will have a double spillover effect on European and Asian countries. It will lead to a race on which country will achieve virtually zero emissions first. Moreover, the United States is more cooperative than ever. These two will also be the driving force for the world to move towards virtually zero emissions. "

Young people seeking measures against global warming

Young people are urging governments to strengthen their measures against global warming.



It was triggered by Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg, who has been taking a break from school every Friday to continue appealing for global warming countermeasures in front of the parliament in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. ..



The activity spread all over the world through SNS and led to a youth movement called "Friday for the future".



Young people participating in the movement issued a statement five years after the adoption of the Paris Agreement, saying, "There is no reason to celebrate. No government has been able to contribute to the road to 1.5 degrees. From frequent torrential rains to wildfires and food insecurity, more and more tragedy and injustice are occurring all over the world. "



In the background, there is an annoyance that "measures have not been advanced".



Governments have stated their goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to virtually zero by 2050, saying that if they are not achieved sooner, the global average temperature will not be able to stop rising to critical levels. Increasing concern.



In response to this meeting on the 12th, Mr. Greta continues to say, "All our leaders have to strengthen their efforts. Please do it. No one has to wait and you can do it now. No one will stop, "he posted on Twitter with an ironic message.

Expected to suppress temperature rise

The Paris Agreement aims to keep the global average temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius compared to before the Industrial Revolution and to strive to keep it at 1.5 degrees Celsius.



Japan, the EU, China and others are aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to virtually zero by the middle of this century, and President-elect Joe Biden of the United States has also announced that he will aim for virtually zero by 2050. I am.



According to the Climate Action Tracker, a joint analysis team investigating climate change countermeasures, 126 countries around the world have decided to aim for virtually zero or are considering concretely, the United States. Including, these countries account for 63% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions.

If all of these countries achieve virtually zero, temperature rises by the end of this century could be suppressed to a maximum of 2.1 degrees Celsius.



On the other hand, the United Nations and others have pointed out that it is necessary to make a certain reduction by 2030 in order to suppress the temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.



According to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) created by scientists from around the world, the amount of carbon dioxide that can be emitted worldwide to limit the rise in global average temperature to 1.5 degrees is 4200 remaining as of the end of 2017. It is estimated to be about 100 million tons, and the current annual carbon dioxide emission pace of about 40 billion tons is expected to reach before 2030.



For this reason, the United Nations should set a short-term and medium-term goal for each country to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and submit it to the United Nations before COP26, which is scheduled to be held in the United Kingdom next year. I am suing.