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China, India and Brazil must set out their plans to cut emissions
(The Guardian, 23 Oct 2021) An insider says keeping temperatures within 1.5C above pre-industrial levels rests with big developing countries in G20.
As we get closer to the beginning of Cop26, I worry that the main goal – keeping temperature rises within 1.5C above pre-industrial levels – is slipping away.
The Covid-19 pandemic offered the opportunity for a global reset. We could rebuild in a way that was green and with lower greenhouse gas emissions.
We have not seen that occur and have squandered that opportunity. Going back to the beginning of 2019, we have had two years to reflect on the reset that we needed, but countries have not done so.
We are seeing some bad signs. China looking at burning more coal because of high energy prices is terrible.
China and many countries talk about historic responsibility for emissions. Developed countries, such as the US, the UK and other European countries, were burning fossil fuels at high levels for a long time, so most of the carbon that was in the atmosphere in 1992, when the UN framework convention on climate change was signed, came from them.
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The Guardian, 23 Oct 2021: China, India and Brazil must set out their plans to cut emissions
