Climate Transparency Report

The G20 countries have a special role to combat climate change - they are responsible for a majority of global emissions. This year’s Climate Transparency Report shows that the efforts of the G20 countries are currently insufficient to limit climate change to the 1.5°C agreed in the Paris Agreement. After a short period of decline, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, emissions are rebounding across the G20. However, a positive development is that the expansion of Renewable Energy capacities are rising.

The G20 countries are responsible for around 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Last year, energy-related CO2 emissions in the G20 fell slightly for the first time, by 0.1% after a rise of 1.9% in 2018, without an economic crisis as a trigger. The key to these initial successes is the continuing boom in renewable energies.

Carbon emissions from the world’s 20 biggest economies are rising. None of the G20 countries have plans that will put them on track to limit global warming to 1.5°C, despite the fact that most are technically capable and have economic incentives. To keep the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C goal within reach, G20 countries will have to increase their 2030 emission targets by 2020 and significantly scale up mitigation, adaptation and finance over the next decade.

Ahead of the 2019 Climate Action Summit (23 September 2019) hosted by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the network Climate Transparency is calling for concrete climate action from the G20 countries. The Ambition Call directed at Germany calls for progress in three areas.

The G20 has a strong economic interest in limiting global warming to 1.5°C due to climate change’s negative impact on total economic activity, the productivity of the workforce and the smooth functioning of financial markets. The G20 countries are key for driving this global transition since they account for approximately 80 % of global greenhouse gas emissions, 85 % of global gross domestic product and 75 % of foreign direct investment flows.

The Brown to Green Report is the world’s most comprehensive annual review of G20 climate action, assessing progress on decarbonisation, climate policies, finance, and vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. The report is published annually by Climate Transparency, a global partnership of 14 climate research organisations and NGOs from the majority of G20 countries, many from emerging economies. Germanwatch is one of the main authors.

82% of the G20’s energy supply still comes from fossil fuels, according to the 2018 Brown to Green Report, released today. In Saudi Arabia, Australia and Japan fossil fuels make up even more than 90% of the energy supply, with little or no change in recent years. The 20 major economies play a key role for achieving the Paris targets because they alone account for 80% of global greenhouse gas emissions.