Today at the UN Climate Action Summit, members of the Carbon Neutrality Coalition (CNC) reaffirmed their commitment to deliver on the Paris Agreement, unite behind the science and answer the calls from the global youth movement for stronger climate action.
In a sign of growing momentum around reaching global carbon neutrality:
- 5 new countries joined the CNC:
- Austria
- Chile
- Italy
- Japan
- Timor-Leste
- Portugal became the 13th country to officially submit its long-term low-emissions development strategy to the UN Climate Change Secretariat. Dozens of countries are currently developing these plans to be delivered by the end of 2020.
- Germany committed to reach climate neutrality by 2050, confirmed Friday by the Climate Cabinet.
The Carbon Neutrality Coalition now includes six of the G7 members and accounts for 15% of global CO2 emissions and nearly 30% of global GDP.
CNC members also stressed that these long-term targets are driving decisions and actions today, as illustrated by this fact sheet.
The CNC call for greater ambition was echoed by others at the Summit, with the launch of the “Climate Ambition Alliance” – 65 countries and the European Union are joined by 10 regions, 102 cities, 93 businesses and 12 investors – all committed to net zero CO2 emissions by 2050.
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THE 24 MEMBERS OF THE CARBON NEUTRALITY COALITION
Austria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia, Denmark, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Timor-Leste, United Kingdom.
QUOTES FROM MEMBERS OF THE CARBON NEUTRALITY COALITION
President Sebastián Piñera of Chile said: “As host of the COP25 and member of the Carbon Neutrality Coalition, Chile is committed to demonstrating by example that the fight against climate change is an opportunity for both economic growth and sustainable development. In June 2019, our country committed to reaching carbon neutrality by 2050 in line with our pledge under the Paris Agreement. This transition will require cost-effective measures where carbon markets will play a crucial role towards achieving Chile’s NDCs and increasing ambition over time. Our strategy to reach the objective of carbon neutrality has a strong focus on the energy sector as well as the absorption capacity of our forests. Furthermore, the decarbonization of our economy will benefit the planet and improve the quality of life of our citizens and future generations.” –
President Emmanuel Macron of France said: “Carbon neutrality is the inevitable horizon of our societies. It should drive us to more ambitious and coherent policies, in line with our climate goals.”
Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany said: “Germany is committed to reaching Climate Neutrality by 2050. I have made the commitment already at the European Council in the context of making the EU climate neutral by 2050. And this Friday this has been confirmed by the German Climate Cabinet.”
Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir of Iceland said: “We can save the Earth if we want to. We will need hope, cooperation, a healthy dose of green technology, and relentless persistence. The solutions are at hand. We need a price on carbon and an end to dirty subsidies. We need greener lifestyles and clean investment.”
President Dr. Hilda C. Heine of the Republic of the Marshall Islands said: “Today’s Summit has helped mobilise more political will, but now it is time for much more political action. We need to see every country follow our lead and increase their Paris targets by early next year and set long-term plans to fully decarbonise their economies. The ultimate success of this Summit will depend on whether in just over a year from now we can gather at COP26 and say that the promise of the Paris Agreement to ramp up ambition every five years and to keep temperatures within the limits our coral atoll nation needs to stay safe has been delivered.” —
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of Spain said: “The climate crisis requires bold and ambitious actions. Right Now. Not tomorrow or next week. The coming decade is crucial to ensure that we are globally on a decarbonisation pathway compatible with the Paris objectives. This is what the society is asking for, what youth is demanding from us: determined and ambitious actions. The IPCC is clear: we cannot limit global warming to 1.5º C without reaching carbon neutrality by mid-century. Spain has chosen this path, with full determination and entirely aware of what is at stake, standing behind science and ensuring we become carbon neutral by 2050.” –
Dan Jørgensen, Minister of Climate, Energy and Utilities of Denmark said: Everybody is saying: ”Our kids are shouting in the streets for climate action”. In Denmark, we are shouting with them and taking action; we do not ask what is possible, but what is necessary. So, the task is to make the necessary possible. Denmark has set an ambitious target of 70% greenhouse gas emissions reductions by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest. It is important with short term goals to reach our long-term visions. The good news is that we already have the technology and the regulatory tools to make it work, and that the investors are ready to shift from black to green energy. Let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work!”
João Pedro Matos Fernandes, Minister for Environment and Energy Transition of Portugal, said: “Portugal is in the frontline to respond to the scientific findings and deliver the necessary transformation of our societies, in line with keeping global warming under 1.5ºC. We now have a long term low GHG emission strategy to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and we have enhanced our national GHG emission reduction, renewable energy and energy efficiency targets for 2030. We have all been summoned to the Climate Summit to bring about more climate action and higher climate ambition. Let’s deliver.” –
Isabella Lövin, Minister for Environment and Climate and Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden, said: “It is essential that all countries act for carbon neutrality. Sweden has adopted a goal of net zero emissions by 2045 at the latest. The Leadership Group for Industry Transition that Sweden and India launched at the summit will accelerate the transition for all industry sectors to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. I’m convinced this group can make an important contribution in the global efforts for carbon neutrality and invite all countries to join.”
About the CNC: The Carbon Neutrality Coalition, an alliance of countries originally launched in 2017 at the One Planet Summit, brings together countries that are answering the invitation of the Paris Agreement to develop ambitious long-term climate strategies by 2020 and to work together to build a carbon neutral world to stabilize climate change.
