According to an international study, the G20 countries are doing too little to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees. The greenhouse gas emissions of the 19 industrialized nations, emerging economies and the European Union continue to rise, according to the "Brown to Green" report, published by the Climate Transparency network on Monday. In the past year, emissions increased by 1.8 percent.
The G20's leading industrial and emerging economies account for 80 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. Germany scores poorly in the G20 comparison, especially in traffic and buildings:
- According to the latest report, Germany causes around 50 percent more CO2 emissions for heating and cooling houses than the EU average. In comparison with the other G20 countries, the emissions are even twice as high. The energy standards for new buildings are good, but would have to be tightened for compliance with the Paris climate targets.
- The transport sector is also having a negative impact again: Here, the per capita emissions in Germany are also well above the G20 cut: 1.99 tonnes of CO2 without air traffic compared to 1.13 tonnes.
In its new climate package, the German government has focused primarily on these areas - but almost all experts agree that the agreed measures are far from sufficient.
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Climate Transparency is supported by, among others, the World Bank and the Federal Environment Ministry. Every year since 2015, the "Brown to Green" report shows how the G20 is making progress in climate protection. The federation includes: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Germany, France, United Kingdom, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United States and the European Union.
On course for the 1.5 degree target is according to the current report not a single country of the G20. Nonetheless, the scientists and environmentalists have an optimistic message: around half of the G20, including the EU, is likely to exceed its previous, self-imposed climate goals. Thus, as envisaged in the Paris Climate Agreement, the states could come up with new, more ambitious targets in 2020. However, the findings also show how inadequate the previous goals were.
At three-degree course
For in the Paris Agreement, almost all the countries in the world have decided to limit the global rise in temperature to well below two degrees compared to pre-industrial times, preferably to 1.5 degrees.
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So far, global temperature has already risen by a good degree over pre-industrial times. If states only fulfill their current climate protection commitments, climate researchers predict that by the end of the century, Earth will be an average of three degrees warmer - with catastrophic consequences for glaciers and polar ice, coral reefs, biodiversity and humanity.
Climate change increases the risk of extreme heat and cold waves, droughts, heavy storms and heavy rain. According to the latest report, extreme weather events cost around 16,000 lives a year in the G20 countries, resulting in economic losses of US $ 142 billion, or around € 129 billion.
The energy demand of the G20 is increasing
According to the 1.5-degree report of the UN Climate Change Council, the G20 countries would have to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by at least 45 percent by 2030 compared to 2010 in order to reach the temperature target. By 2070, they are unlikely to emit greenhouse gases by the end of the day. All remaining emissions would have to be removed from the atmosphere. At the same time, the consumption of oil, coal and natural gas would have to fall drastically.
Currently, G20 countries account for 82 percent of their energy needs from fossil sources. With coal, oil and gas, states are generating electricity, generating heat for heating and producing fuel for transport. It is already foreseeable that energy demand will increase continuously.
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"The new 'Brown to Green' report shows that there are pioneers in all relevant areas among the G20 countries, who are driving the transition to emission-free emissions," said Jan Burck of the non-governmental organization Germanwatch, which is one of the authors of the report. "However, so far this is only happening in some areas and in relation to the entire G20 is still far too slow."