UN
CLIMATE AMBITION SUMMIT - INTERNATIONAL
News:
China, U.S. and India
absent at U.N.’s Climate Ambition Summit
What's
in the news?
●
The Climate Ambition Summit (CAS) in New
York, as part of the United Nations General Assembly, that concluded on
September 21, was marked by the absence of major economies whose actions
significantly influence the future of global emissions.
Key
takeaways:
●
China, the United States and India — who
collectively account for about 42% of global greenhouse gas emissions and are
the top three emitters in that order — were all absent from the CAS.
●
The CAS was organized by the United Nations to showcase leaders who have
credible actions, policies, and plans to address climate change and to uphold
the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius as outlined in the
Paris Agreement.
●
Limited
Participation - Despite the summit's importance, only representatives from 34 states and
seven institutions were given speaking slots on the day of the event.
Notably, India's neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Pakistan
were included as speakers, along with other emerging economies.
●
Criteria
for Participation - Countries seeking speaking slots at the
summit were expected to present updated pre-2030 Nationally Determined
Contributions (NDCs), net-zero targets, energy transition plans, fossil fuel
phase-out plans, renewable energy targets, Green Climate Fund pledges, and
adaptation and resilience plans. This indicates a high bar for participation.
●
Future
Commitments - All main emitters, including the G-20
nations, were encouraged to commit to presenting more ambitious economy-wide
NDCs with absolute emissions cuts and covering all greenhouse gases by 2025.
●
India's
Climate Pledges - India updated its climate pledges in
2022, aiming to reduce emissions intensity by 45% from 2005 levels by 2030. The
government also committed to sourcing 50% of its electric power from renewable,
non-fossil fuel sources and increasing carbon sinks through afforestation.
Go
back to basics:
Climate
Ambition Summit:
●
The Climate Ambition Summit held at the United Nations
Headquarters in New York on 20 September 2023 aimed to address the urgent need
for climate action in response to the latest scientific assessment by the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).