Developed countries must lead emissions curbs and make good on finance pledge say emerging economies key to climate pact.
Rich countries need to take the lead in cutting greenhouse gas emissions, the leaders of India and China have said in an unusual joint statement.
Released at the end of two days of talks between Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping, it says developing countries need more finance and technological support to green their economies.
“The two sides urged the developed countries to raise their pre-2020 emission reduction targets and honour their commitment to provide US$100bn per year by 2020 to developing countries,” it says.
Nearly 200 countries are working on a global climate pact to limit warming to below 2C above pre industrial levels, with an outcome expected in Paris this December at a UN summit.
The statement offered no new goals or specific targets the pair would like to see in a Paris deal, instead referring to the 2007 Bali Road Map, where rich countries pledged to help the poor with green finance and technology.
For the complete article, please see RTCC.
In his address on this year’s World Cities Day, UN-Secretary General António Guterres recognised that “cities have borne the brunt of the pandemic” and called upon governments to “prepare cities for future disease outbreaks”. Authorities cannot waste this opportunity to build back better by simultaneously addressing the increasing economic hardship for the urban poor and climate change impacts. This will help prevent not only future health risks but also the increased risk of urban violence and insecurity.
The new group will try to advance climate policies, even as some of its members are likely to clash. Critics say the group’s efforts won’t go far enough.
With climate change increasingly affecting food production in South Asia, it is time to focus on making food markets more resilient to climate shocks.
Michael Keating, Executive Director at the European Institue of Peace (EIP), argues that peacebuilding and conflict resolution must not disregard the impacts of the climate crisis on livelihoods, social cohesion and conflict resolution.