G20 Acceleration Calls of Climate Transparency

The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called to super-charge efforts to achieve the Climate Solidarity Pact through an Acceleration Agenda. The G20 as biggest emitters have the strongest responsibility to “make extra efforts to cut emissions (…) in a common effort to keep 1.5 degrees alive”.

Together with Partners from G20 countries Climate Transparency developed two publications entitled „G20 Acceleration Calls“, identifying three steps that are key to accelerate climate action in the G20:

1. Higher ambition of national climate targets,
2. Stronger implementation to deliver on existing plans, and
3.  Deeper cooperation to use the G20’s collective political, technological and financial power. 

The first call „G20 Acceleration Call – From Coal to Renewables“ responds to the Acceleration Agenda of the the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, in which he called on G20 countries to:

• No new coal and the phasing-out of coal by 2030 in OECD countries and 2040 in all other countries;
• Ending all international public and private funding of coal;
• Ensuring net zero electricity generation by 2035 for all developed countries and 2040 for the rest of the world.

The publication gives a short overview about the transition from coal to renewables in the G20 and provides key recommendations for G20 countries. 

On 20 September 2023, the day of the UNSG Climate Ambition Summit, Climate Transparency organised a webinar entitled „The Climate Ambition Summit – The G20 transition from coal to renewables“, during which G20 experts addressed following questions:

• Where do G20 countries stand in phasing-out coal and phasing-in renewables?
• What commitments and announcements are made for the Summit?
• What are the main recommendations for the G20 countries to accelerate coal phase-out and renewables phase-in?

At the end of the webinar, speakers also provided most urgent recommendations for higher ambition, quicker implementation and better cooperation.

The second publication „G20 Acceleration Call – Time is running out for oil and gas“ built upon the words of Secretary-General Guterres that: “The world must phase out fossil fuels in a just and equitable way – moving to leave oil, coal and gas in the ground where they belong – and massively boosting renewable investment in a just transition”, which in practice means that G20 countries should:

• Stopping any expansion of existing oil and gas reserves;
• Shifting subsidies from fossil fuels to a just energy transition;
• Preparing energy transition plans consistent with these actions and ready for investors.

The Call gives a short stocktake on oil and gas in the G20 and provides key recommendations for each G20 country.

In the run-up to the COP28 held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Climate Transparency organised on 22 November a webinar „Oil and Gas in the G20 – Who is leading the way ahead of the COP28?“. Its country experts discussed:

• What is the role of the G20 countries as global oil and gas consumers and producers?
• What can countries do to reduce their reliance on oil and gas?
• How can international cooperation support the transition away from fossil fuels?

G20 members play a key role as they account for around 85% of global GDP, 75% of international trade, and two-thirds of the world’s population, and are responsible for around three-quarters of global emissions. The USA is estimated to be responsible for 25% of the global historical emissions, followed by the EU (22%), China (13%), Russia (6%), Japan (4%), and India (3%). Therefore, the G20 members carry the highest responsibility for climate action. 

The G20 Acceleration Calls by the Climate Transparency partnership demand that G20 members step up their climate action in support of the Acceleration Agenda of the UN Secretary-General.