G20 leaders agree to 1.5°C global warming target with 'effective & meaningful actions'

The global leaders at the just-concluded Group of Twenty (G20) Summit committed to the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C with "meaningful and effective actions", apart from many other concrete decisions on "sustainable and inclusive growth (of) Countries...across the world". In the final declaration published by the G20 leaders present in Rome, the countries agreed to "accelerate actions" in 2020 to make significant contributions in the long-term 'net zero' strategies. The G20 stakeholders also pledged to mobilise climate funds worth $100 billion annually through 2025.

The leaders committed to strengthen actions to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 and called on CBD Parties to adopt an ambitious, balanced, practical, effective, robust and transformative post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework at COP15 in Kunming, the declaration mentioned. The countries, which are responsible for 80% of carbon emissions, vowed to abide by the recovery plans of the Paris Agreement. At the Summit, the national leaders welcomed the launch of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030, and reaffirmed the shared ambition to achieve a 50% reduction of degraded land by 2040 voluntarily, and will strive to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality by 2030.

On social developments, the leaders agreed to scale up and encourage the implementation of nature-based Solutions or ecosystem-based approaches as valuable tools providing economic, social, climate and environmental benefits including in and around cities, in an inclusive manner and through the participation of local communities and indigenous peoples, the declaration mentioned. Additionally, they also promised to stop overseas financing of coal and commit to the energy transition that meets the timeframe of the Paris Agreement goal.

"It wasn’t easy to reach this agreement, it is a success. Over recent years, #G20 countries’ capacity to work together had diminished, but something changed at this summit: #G20 countries were once again able to tackle global challenges together," Italian PM Mario Draghi said during the concluding sessions, as per his Twitter post.

G20 Summit session on environment laid the groundwork for COP26

The G20 session on Environment laid the groundwork for the just-opened Climate Change talks in Glasgow, Scotland, which as per COP26 Summit President Alok Sharma is the "last, best hope" to keep global warming above the pre-industrial levels. In the final statement at the G20 Summit, the leaders also affirmed their joint efforts in "keeping 1.5 degrees within reach," and adding that they recognise it will "require meaningful and effective actions and commitment by all countries, taking into account different approaches, through the development of clear national pathways that align long-term ambition with short- and medium-term goals, and with international cooperation and support, including finance and technology, sustainable and responsible consumption and production as critical enablers, in the context of sustainable development."

"We look forward to a successful COP26," G20 leaders stated in the joint declaration.

(Image: @G20org_Twitter)