According to the Paris agreement, signed in 2015, global warming must be limited to well below 2 degrees. Otherwise, it could have disastrous consequences. Previous estimates indicated scenarios in which the earth would warm 3 to 4 degrees Celsius by 2100.
Steps taken
Researchers of Climate Action Trackers (CAT) looked again at the climate promises of various countries and came to the conclusion that something has shifted. This is because important countries have taken steps in recent months when it comes to CO2 pollution.
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The world’s largest emitter China would already be good for 0.2 to 0.3 degrees less warming with the right efforts. Chinese President Xi Jinping announced in September that he aims to make China carbon neutral by 2060. Japan and South Korea followed suit: by 2050, the countries want to reduce greenhouse gases to zero.
Joe Biden
In the second largest emitter, the United States, Joe Biden recently won the presidential election. That is also hopeful: climate change was clearly an important point in his campaign.
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Biden recently appointed John Kerry, the man who signed the accord five years ago, as special representative for the climate.
The CAT researchers do warn that there is still a lot of work to be done. They call on countries to adjust their ambitions against the next climate summit in Glasgow in 2021. They believe that too few short-term plans are being drawn up and too much of a long-term focus.
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