Glasgow/New York, November 11 – The United Nations said some “progress” has been made at the Glasgow Climate Change Conference as countries and more than 1,000 cities around the world have committed to reach net zero emissions by 2050 while the global coal pipeline has decreased by 76 per cent since 2015. But the progress is “far from enough,” said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres one day before the conference is to adopt a final document before closing.
More than 100 countries have committed to halting and reversing forest loss and land degradation by 2030 and others have agreed to reducing methane emissions 30 per cent by 2030. The 197 countries attending the climate change conference have also formed a Net-Zero Asset Owners Alliance, which Guterres said is “the gold standard for credible commitments and transparent targets” and “is managing US $10 trillion in assets and catalyzing change across industries.”
“I encourage the much larger Glasgow Finance Alliance for Net Zero to follow the same path,” he said in an address to the high level of attendees to the conference. He also cited decisions by 28 new countries and members to join the Powering Past Coal Alliance, which raised the membership to 165 countries, cities, regions and businesses, and the 44 countries and 32 companies and regions that have committed to transition from coal to clean power.
“That’s why I have been calling for the formation of coalitions of countries, international financial institutions and private finance – as well as renewable energy companies – to support this momentous shift,” he said. “Some 30 member states and regional development banks have pledged immediate support for the clean energy transition in countries. I urge more financial institutions and investors to follow suit.”
“The announcements here in Glasgow are encouraging – but they are far from enough,” he said.
Guterres said he will establish a High-Level Expert Group to propose “clear standards to measure and analyze net zero commitments from non-state actors,” a decision he said is beyond the mechanisms already set out in the Paris Agreement. “This High-Level Expert group will build on existing work and submit a series of recommendations to me during the course of next year. They will work in a transparent and inclusive manner, and I invite you all to cooperate fully with them.”
US and China to cooperate on cutting emissions
The United States and China, the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitters, said in a surprise announcement at Glasgow on November 10 that they will take joint actions to fight climate change in the coming decade. The announcement stirred hope of climate action, but it failed to support a proposal by the United Kingdom to all countries to update their emissions-cutting plans by the end of 2021. Climate organizations said the UK proposal could help close the differences between how countries plan to cut emissions and what scientists believe what are needed to prevent climate disasters.
See joint statement at:
https://www.state.gov/u-s-china-joint-glasgow-declaration-on-enhancing-climate-action-in-the-2020s/
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