‘We are reaching a crunch point’, CAN-UK respond to Climate and Energy communiqué from G20 Ministerial on Environment, Climate and Energy

In response to the G20 Ministerial on Environment, Climate and Energy, Catherine Pettengell, Director at Climate Action Network UK (CAN-UK), said:

“We are reaching a crunch point, with 100 days to go until COP26 we need to see consensus building from leaders on limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C, delivering the $100bn goal for climate change, and addressing loss and damage. Today’s communique from G20 nations crucially acknowledges 1.5°C and the need for urgent action this decade, and sets up COP26 as the moment for delivering on that by setting an intention to communicate ambitious NDCs by then.”

“But the talks have not been easy and more progress is needed to build consensus around high ambition outcomes for COP26. The world is watching whether this set of nations – collectively representing around 80% of global emissions – will step up to the plate over the next 100 days to unlock the remaining obstacles and opportunities before it is too late. Ministers now travel on to London for the COP26 Presidency-hosted Ministerial – an opportunity they must seize to steer a collaborative, cooperative, and high ambition course as the clock starts ticking down to COP26.”

With 100 days to go until COP26, civil society groups are increasingly concerned that global leaders will fail to deliver on key commitments such as climate finance and 1.5°C, without a step-change in high-level political attention.

This week, civil society groups wrote to prime minister Boris Johnson with an action plan for COP26, The Glasgow Action Plan, calling on the government to:

1. Close the gap to 1.5°C: NGOs are calling on the UK to use every diplomatic effort to ensure countries close the gap between existing nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and what is needed to keep the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C within reach.
2. Address loss and damage: NGOs are calling on the UK to facilitate a constructive process that concretely advances action on loss and damage at COP26 – including scaling up finance to address loss and damage, and acknowledging it as the third pillar of climate action on a par with mitigation and adaptation.
3. Increase finance for adaptation: NGOs are calling on the UK to lead global efforts to ensure climate finance is urgently and significantly scaled up, and access improved for poor and vulnerable countries and communities. This includes ensuring that 50% of global climate finance is for adaptation.
4. Scale-up high-quality nature-based solutions: NGOs are calling on the UK to support and drive the incorporation of ambitious and rigorous ecosystem protection, restoration, and sustainable management, into the enhanced NDCs, long-term strategies (LTS), and adaptation plans of all countries in ways that support poverty alleviation and the protection of human rights.
5. Support a just energy transition: NGOs are calling on the government to ensure robust implementation of the policy to end public support for fossil fuels overseas. The government must also champion similar policies with other countries, and scale-up support for renewable and efficient energy systems to help deliver universal access to energy.
6. Unlock the green recovery to get on track to net-zero: NGOs believe that UK leadership and credibility also rests on introducing the policies and investment to get the UK on track to net-zero as fast as possible, without the use of international offsets.

ENDS
Notes to editor

1. Joint G20 Energy-Climate Ministerial Communiqué JULY, 23 2021: https://www.g20.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/2021_G20-Energy-Climate-joint-Ministerial-Communique.pdf and statement https://www.g20.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Presidency-Statement.pdf
2. The Glasgow Action Plan 2021: COP26 asks to the UK government can be found here. The plan was updated for 2021 by organisations from across Bond, Climate Action Network UK (CAN-UK), and The Climate Coalition.
3. For more details about the Glasgow Action Plan, please contact Catherine Pettengell, [email protected]
4. Climate Action Network UK (CAN-UK) is the UK node of the world’s largest climate network made up of over 1,500 civil society organisations in over 130 countries. CAN-UK is formerly the Bond Development and Environment Group (DEG), and continues to work closely with Bond and its members on policy coordination and expertise on the people-nature-climate agenda.
5. Bond is the UK network for organisations working in international development. Bond unites and supports a diverse network of over 400 civil society organisations from across the UK, and allies to help eradicate global poverty, inequality and injustice.
6. For further information or interviews please contact Maryam Mohsin on 07555 336029 or [email protected]