The Climate Transparency Report 2021

The Climate Transparency Report 2021 was published on 14 October 2021. The report is the world's most comprehensive annual report on G20 countries' climate action and their transition to a zero-emission economy. The independent, comparative assessment draws on the latest analysis of internationally renowned datasets, as well as qualitative data from leading experts in the field. The analysis includes 100 indicators for climate adaptation, risk, mitigation and finance, which are compared against global 1.5°C benchmarks. The report consists of two parts: The Highlights Report and the 20 country profiles.

The report was prepared by Experts from 16 partner organisations from most G20 countries and serves as information for political decision-makers and to stimulate national debates. Thanks to comparable and concise information presented in a visually appealing form, the Climate Transparency Report as a useful reference for decision-makers and stakeholders, but also for those for whom climate is not a central issue.

The most important findings of the report include

  • G20 emissions will rise again in 2021 by 4% (they fell by 6% in 2020), with Argentina, China, India and Indonesia expected to exceed their 2019 emissions.
  • Renewable energies on the rise - the share of renewable energy in the electricity sector increased by 20% between 2015 and 2020 and is forecast to account for almost 30% of the G20 electricity mix in 2021. The share of renewables in the energy supply is forecast to increase from 10% in 2020 to 12% in 2021.
  • The Coal consumption on the rise - It is forecast to increase by almost 5% by 2021, with this growth being driven by China (61% of growth), the US (18%) and India (17%).
  • From 2015 to 2020, the Coal intensity of the energy sector (amount of carbon released per unit of energy production) in the G20 fell by 4%.
  • Between 2018 and 2019, the G20 members provided USD 50.7 billion/year in public funding. Financial resources for fossil fuels ready. Japan (USD 10.3 billion/year), China (slightly more than USD 8 billion/year) and South Korea (slightly less than USD 8 billion/year) were the largest donors.
  • Only USD 300 billion of the total USD 1.8 trillion of stimulus spending flowed into the much-vaunted "Green" reconstruction of the economy as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, while fossil fuels continue to be subsidised.

If you would like to follow the discussion about the report on social media, you can find us on Twitter @ClimateT_G20 with this year's #CTreport2021.

Get in touch with us if you have any comments or questions. We also offer online briefings for your organisation, which provide you with relevant information in a condensed form in just 30 minutes. Please contact us: info[at]climate-transparency.org