J.O’Brien called on the world to “take action” at its climate summit on Thursday, unveiling a new U.S. goal to reduce emissions of pollution, which many leaders praised for the fight against reheating.
“I am just happy to see the United States working with us on climate change,” said German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
“We are all very happy to be back in the United States,” said South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Nearly 100 days after Joe Biden came to power, leaders were invited one by one to attend this virtual summit, uttering their own commitment and praising the new American posture after four years of inaction and denial under Donald Trump.
“We need to take action (…) we need to speed up,” the White House tenant recalled at the start of a two-day video conference meeting, saying “no country can solve this crisis” on your own “. .
He warned of “passive spending” and praised the “extraordinary” economic benefits that could come from environmental reforms.
The 46th President of the United States has promised to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the world’s largest economy by 50% to 52% by 2030 compared to 2005. This goal doubles Washington’s former commitment of 26% to 28% by 2025.
This will help the U.S. economy achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
In response, his Chinese envoy, Xi Jinping, said he was “determined to work with the international community, especially the United States,” despite the sharp tensions between many of the major rival powers.
He reaffirmed China’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2060.
Expected in turn
From the first day of Joe Biden’s presidency, in January, Donald Trump struck the Paris Agreement four years ago on the climate deal.
Since then, he has ignored warnings about the “urgency” to avoid a “catastrophe”, contrary to his Republican predecessor’s climate-skeptical rhetoric. He unveiled a megaplan for American infrastructure with important environmental change elements.
But he was expected ahead of this summit, which was organized ahead of Earth Day. Before putting pressure on other global polluters to speed up the fight against global warming, he must confirm his country’s inconsistency in this matter.
Chinese diplomacy was mocked last week as “a bad student returning to school benches except for classes”.
In the absence of the United States during the Trump era, Xi Jinping received applause by announcing at the end of 2020 that his country would begin reducing its CO2 emissions before 2030.
Joe Biden’s new commitment is the U.S. contribution, which is ambitious, hopes to participate in keeping global warming below + 2 ° C, if possible + 1.5 ° C, compared to the pre-industrial era, as provided in the 2015 Paris Agreement. A planetary mission that does not achieve national obligations.
According to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the US announcement could “change the game” and provide the necessary impetus for international talks. He backed his strengthened plan, which was announced on Tuesday, to reduce UK emissions by 78% by 2035 compared to the 1990s.
“Real Progress”
In salute to US commitment, French President Emmanuel Macron also called for “speeding up”.
The major so-called powers, which represent 80% of global emissions, are engaging themselves in the action line for this summit, a step towards the UN main conference, COP26, scheduled for later this year in Glasgow, Scotland.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed that Russia, a major producer of hydrocarbons, will carry out its “responsible (…) international obligations”.
According to the EU, extremism has reached an agreement on a “at least 55%” net reduction in its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to the 1990 level.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised to reduce them by 40% to 45% by 2030 compared to 2005, while Japan has announced that it will reduce its CO2 emissions by 46% by 2030 compared to 2013. At 26%.
Even Brazilian President Jair Bolsanaro, who is closer to Donald Trump, but less than Joe Biden, has promised to end illegal deforestation in the Amazon by 2030 and improve Brazil’s carbon neutrality by 2050 in 2050 – despite skepticism.
On Thursday new announcements or, as expected, “countries with more than half the share of the world economy” have now made a commitment to reduce emissions, according to which he welcomed the organizer of a summit with a planetary objective to reduce global warming.
“This is an encouraging start,” Joe Biden said after the first announcements, “We are starting to make real progress.”
22/04/2021 16:29:02 – Washington (AFP) – © 2021 AFP