Stephen Jewkes

MILAN (Reuters), – Policymakers stated on Saturday that the major world economies need to do more to demonstrate their seriousness in tackling global warming.

Alok Sharma (COP26) stated there was renewed urgency to the climate debate in light of preparatory meetings in Milan. Thousands of youth activists, such as Greta Thunberg and others, called on governments to follow through with their words by committing billions to help rid the world of fossil fuels.

Following the meeting in Italy, Sharma of Britain stated that the group had held constructive discussions. He also said there was a sense of urgency.

Glasgow’s COP26 Conference aims to encourage bolder climate action by the almost 200 countries who signed the 2015 Paris Agreement. They have agreed to limit global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels.

Sharma reported that Milan delegates agreed to go further to meet the 1.5-degree target and pledge $100 billion per annum to support the least vulnerable countries in climate change.

Sharma stated that ministers were galvanized by the energy from (youth). We must keep their voices (and ours) in mind as we move forward over the coming weeks, and into the COP.

Negotiators are optimistic about new funding and energy pledges by China and the United States, however many G20 countries, including large polluters such China and India have not yet announced updates to their short-term climate plans.

Sharma suggested that the national action plan should contain more ambitious goals for reducing emissions.

“TRILLIONS NOT BILLIONS”

U.S. U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry also called on major economies to adopt more radical policies.

He stated that 55% (or global GDP) has been committed to tracks to keep the temperature at 1.5 degrees.

Although wealthy countries pledged to mobilise $100 billion annually to aid vulnerable nations in adapting to the transition to cleaner energy a decade back, they still have not reached their 2020 target.

Kerry indicated that while Kerry expected donors to honor the pledge, a post-2025 financing plan would be needed with “an emphasis not only on billions but also on trillions”.

He said that “(The] private sector is required for this…We’ll be announcing a specific agenda item in association with the World Economic Forum,” without providing further details.

Oscar Soria was the campaign director for Avaaz in the U.S., who attended the Milan talks.

Soria declared that the developed and developing countries should meet immediately to create a plan. “Without real money it will be hard to trust the negotiation in Glasgow.”

Sharma claimed that countries all agreed to reduce carbon emissions. He suggested a target date of 2030 for industrial nations and 2040 for the rest.

Frans Timmermans, EU climate commissioner Frans was asked about coal mining. He said that the industry would disappear gradually even if there were no specific climate actions because eventually it would become financially unviable.

“I would be very surprised if there’s still a substantial coal mining industry after 2040,” said he, noting that the negotiators are in “constructive dialog with India and China”.

China and India remain the top coal-producing countries in the world. They still depend on coal for a lot of their energy supply.