All talk, no show

Countries may have announced grandiose plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but they are unlikely to meet the global target to become carbon neutral by 2050

- AKSHIT SANGOMLA

THE YEAR 2020 is a landmark year for climate change and its mitigation, especially with the unexpected impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns and economic downturn across the world. The world economy is estimated to shrink by 6 percent in 2020. This is happening when the world is witnessing some of its worst storms, heat waves, ice melting and wildfires, making the twin challenges of climate change and COVID-19 one of the worst periods in human history since the 1930s.

Even so, many countries are stepping up their commitments to minimise their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in accordance with the Paris Agreement of 2015 and some are even going beyond to achieve the goal of limiting global warming to well under 1.50C by 2050 through green new deals. Many like Germany and France are also trying to integrate climate change mitigation into their post-pandemic economic recovery strategies. In June this year, Germany announced that it will provide US $2.36 billion worth of funds to its construction sector for energy-efficient buildings, according to non-profit Carbon Brief. In September, France has also allocated $7.66 billion for energy efficiency in its private and public buildings, including investment in insulation and low carbon heating.

GLOBAL PUSH