Climate: G20 states struggle to go beyond declarations of intent

Australian Prime Minister Scotte Morrison, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Head of Government Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron at the G20 summit in Rome on October 31, 2021. AFP - ANDREAS SOLARO

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

A few hours before the opening of COP26, the G20 is moving towards a

agreement

on the climate.

According to the first information that has filtered, the commitment of the richest countries on the planet will remain rather vague.

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The objective of carbon neutrality has been confirmed, but the uncertainty remains over the year of its implementation.

The member states of the G20 promise to reach it by “

”.

A very diplomatic formula to unify divergent agendas.

Several Western countries, such as those of the European Union or the United States, have already committed to 2050. On the other hand, China and Russia are betting on 2060 and India refuses to set a deadline, explains our envoy. special in Rome,

.

The press release also remains very cryptic concerning the concrete measures envisaged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Hydrocarbon subsidies must be abolished, that's the principle, but there is no timetable.

► To reread: COP26 in Glasgow, the challenges of a crucial meeting for the planet

No timetable for the exit from coal either - it was one of the ambitions of this summit.

the only commitment made is symbolic: it concerns the end of international financing of power stations running on thermal coke.

Nothing new in the G20 effort, because of the resistance of the biggest carbon emitters, whether they are emerging ones like Brazil or India, or already great economic powers like the United States, China and the United States. 'Germany.

There is, however, urgency.

On Sunday, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said the last seven years, 2015-2021, will likely remain as the hottest on record, estimating the global climate was entering " 

 ."

The annual report on the state of the climate " 

", for his part believes the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, who adds that the COP26 must " 

 ”.

► Read also: Agreement for a global tax on multinationals at the G20: low-income states do not sign

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