It is not as if they have closely missed their goals; it is as if they have not even been trying. The new Oxfam report on climate change places the blame squarely on the rich countries , the US being the worst offender.
The
goal has been to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 45 percent
before 2030. Instead, they are headed for an increase of 10.6 percent.
As might be expected, these world's largest economies, the G20,
produce the most pollution.
On average, they emit between 7.4 and 7.7 tons of CO2 per person per year. To keep global mean temperature, one below 1.5 C above preindustrial levels as has been the goal, they need to come down to 2.9 to 3.8 tons.
The
G20 and other countries will be submitting their nationally determined
contributions or NDC's at the UN Climate Summit in Dubai this November.
These assessments there will reveal whether or not they are on track
for achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement, namely to limit
temperature rise to 1.5C.
Researchers
accessing G20 plans using three different methodologies found these
will reduce emissions only to 6.7 to 6.9 tons per person per year on
average. That is nearly double what is required.
Oxfam's work on emissions produced by the rich and the poor find them influenced by wealth and inequality -- the 125 billionaires themselves produce through their investments and activities a colossal 393 million tons each year at a 3 million ton per person average -- a half million times higher than the average G20 person and a million times higher than the bottom 90 percent by global wealth.
The US leads the high income countries with the largest deficit in not meeting the goals planned emissions reduction. Its shortfall is up to 24.6 tons of CO2 equivalent per person per year. Middle income countries are led by Russia at 10. China has a high of 3.4 and India merely 0.7.
If
the world is serious about global warming, it has to persuade rich
countries, particularly G7 the richest, and the rest of the G20 to ramp
up spending to move to low-carbon alternatives, and also increase
climate finance for the poorer countries. It is the only way as these
countries simply do not possess the resources otherwise.
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