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COP26: HAC asks all parties to deliver on net zero emissions target
The High Ambition Coalition has also called on parties to commit to a collective goal of reducing global methane emissions by at least 30% from 2020 levels by 2030, and to take aggressive action to reduce emissions of all super-pollutants, including hydrofluorocarbons and black carbon
The High Ambition Coalition (HAC), which includes the US, Germany, France and several others, in a statement issued at the Glasgow climate change conference (COP 26) on Tuesday, called on all 196 parties to deliver on mid-century net zero greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) goals with strategies for their implementation that align with a 1.5 degree C trajectory as soon as possible, and in time for consideration by leaders at the global stocktake in 2023.
The HAC has also called on parties to commit to a collective goal of reducing global methane emissions by at least 30% from 2020 levels by 2030, and to take aggressive action to reduce emissions of all super-pollutants, including hydrofluorocarbons and black carbon. HAC’s intervention could pose a challenge to emerging economies like India and others who have been calling for equity and common-but-differentiated responsibilities (a principle within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that acknowledges different capabilities and differing responsibilities of individual countries) in mitigating climate crisis.
The Republic of the Marshall Islands formed the HAC in run-up negotiations to the Paris Agreement in 2015. The HAC helped secure key elements of the Paris deal, including the 1.5 degree C temperature goal, the net zero global emissions pathway by the second half of the century, and a five-year cycle for updating mitigation contributions, according to their website.
The HAC also stressed the need to halve global emissions by 2030 and called on all Parties to deliver more ambitious NDCs in line with a 1.5 degree C trajectory as soon as possible and well ahead of COP27. Several climate vulnerable island nations, such as Palau, Marshall Islands, Fiji, Antigua and Barbuda, are also part of the coalition. US President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron have signed off the statement.
“This could be a problem going ahead. It has the US in it which is powerful. There is no mention of equity. It’s aligned to an ambitious target of 1.5 degree C with no mention of common but differentiated responsibilities. It can pose a challenge, especially to emerging economies,” said a senior climate negotiations expert on condition of anonymity.
HAC has also called on all developed countries to deliver on the goal of mobilising $100 billion annually till 2025 in the “context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation.” Some developing countries may have reservations on this also as to which actions will be considered meaningful. The coalition suggested that the adaptation finance gap be addressed by scaling up adaptation finance to at least double the current levels.
“Reiterate our commitment to make finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development, and commit to initiating deliberations for a post-2025 finance goal based on the best available science, an assessment of the needs and priorities of developing countries, and lessons from the $100 billion goal,” the HAC statement said.
“Why should we align to a common timeframe of achieving net zero emissions by mid-century? We have always said if that time frame needs to be aligned with, then historical emitters should transition at least by 2030. They can say all this in their statement but CBDR will have to be respected,” said a member of the Indian delegation in Glasgow.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on November 1 that India will reach carbon neutrality by 2070. He also announced a five-point action plan that includes: India will increase its non-fossil fuel power capacity to 500 gigawatts (GW) by the end of the decade, up from 450GW; half of India’s electricity (installed capacity) will come from renewable sources by 2030; India’s 2030 carbon intensity goal — measured as carbon dioxide emissions per unit of gross domestic product — will be increased from 35% to 45%; and the country will also strive to produce half of its electricity using renewable energy and cut carbon-dioxide emissions by 1 billion tonnes from business as usual by 2030.
Another expert said, “If you go by this statement, then there will be pressure over China also as they have announced net zero transition by 2060 and their NDC is weak. But China has already emitted a lot and is now the largest emitter in the world.”
According to a recent analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment, in the coming ten years, China will take up 33% of the remaining carbon budget of 409 GtCO2 and India may occupy only 9.54% of the budget. Between 1870 and 2019, China occupied 13.4% of the global carbon budget; India 3.16% and the seven historical polluters— United Kingdom, United States, European Union-27, Russia, Japan, Australia, and Canada occupied 60.53% of the carbon budget. The share changed quite a bit between 1990 and 2019, when China occupied nearly 21% of the carbon budget. This means China went through a very intense phase of development mainly dependent on fossil fuels during those 20 odd years.
The issue of net zero emission is anyway inequitable. If it were to be equitable, developed (OECD) countries should have a target of net zero by 2030, China by 2040 and India and the rest of the world by 2050, the Centre for Science and Environment highlighted in a statement on Tuesday.
HT reported on Wednesday that several developing countries have backed India’s demands at the COP26 climate summit for a new finance goal to support the energy transition.
Apurba Mitra, Head, Climate-policy, World Resources Institute India, said: “The high ambition coalition is a subset of the parties to the UNFCCC and this will be one of the proposals discussed and negotiated over the next two weeks resulting in a final decision or declaration in Glasgow. Some of the elements of this proposal may find uptake, but may not be all. We will just have to wait and see how the element of differentiation and equity will be introduced in the final declaration, which is currently missing in this text.”
