Leak of documents reveals nations lobbying to change key climate report

Countries asking UN to play down the need to move rapidly away from fossil fuels

A leak of documents has shown how countries are trying to change a key scientific report on how to tackle climate change, a report by BBC news stated.
 

The documents reveal Saudi Arabia, Japan and Australia, among other countries, are asking the UN to play down the need to move rapidly away from fossil fuels, the report stated.
 

It also shows some wealthy nations are questioning paying more to poorer states to move to greener technologies.
 

The BBC report stated that the leak reveals that countries are pushing back on UN recommendations for action and comes just days before they will be asked at the summit to make significant commitments to slow down climate change and keep global warming to 1.5°C.
 

The documents comprise over 32,000 submissions by governments, companies, other interested parties to the team of scientists compiling a UN report designed to bring together the best scientific evidence on how to tackle climate change.
 

Rome G20 agenda
 

The need to curb greenhouse gases will be high on the agenda of the Rome G20 gathering on October 30-31, seen as a key stepping stone immediately ahead of broader United Nations climate talks, called COP26, to be held in Glasgow, Scotland.
 

COP26 president, Britain’s Alok Sharma, said in a speech this month that the G20, which accounts for 80 per cent of global emissions, would be “make or break” for achieving success in Glasgow.
 

Big polluters such as China and India have so far dug in their heels, however, and little progress has been made since G20 energy and environment ministers met in Naples in July, said three sources, asking not to be named due to the sensitivity of the talks.

“Countries are not moving, at the moment they are still just making sure their positions are heard loud and clear,” said one of the sources.
 

But he added that such intransigence was normal at this stage and that any concessions were unlikely to come before G20 climate sherpas meet face-to-face next Thursday and Friday, immediately before their leaders’ weekend meeting.
 

“Where I see the problem is in the commitment to 1.5°C and in the phase out of coal and fossil fuels by China, India and Russia,” said another source, a G20 minister.
 

In a letter to G20 president, Italy’s Mario Draghi, nine countries urged G20 nations to hike their climate pledges to “set the tone” for COP26. Climate scientists say capping global warming at 1.5°C compared with pre-industrial levels is vital to limit environmental disasters.
 

In Naples, energy and environment ministers recognised that environmental risks were lower at 1.5°C than at 2°C, but again fell short of clearly stating 1.5°C must not be breached.
 

Coal still powers more than half the electricity generated by China, the world’s largest energy producer and also the largest greenhouse gas emitter.
 

Big-hitters stay home
 

At least four G20 leaders are not expected to come to Rome, including China’s Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin of Russia, another major oil and gas producer.
 

One source said while such absences were “not a great political signal”, they would not necessarily prevent progress.
 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be coming to Rome, officials said, and New Delhi confirmed on Thursday that he will also be at the COP26 in Glasgow.