Monday 7 December 2020
Almost 21% of states and regions ‘have been consulted on climate plans by their national counterparts’
Almost 21% of states and regions have been consulted on national climate action plans by their national counterparts.
That's according to new research by the international non-profit Climate Group and the non-for-profit charity CDP, which analysed environmental and climate data of 121 regions and states from across Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and Oceania and found that out of them a total of 18, with combined economies of $7.2 trillion (£5.3 trillion) and total emissions equivalent to those of Brazil, have set net zero targets.
The report also demonstrates a total of 21 states and regions have set long-term targets to reduce their emissions by a range from 75% to 90%.
The findings of the report show an average of 47% of electricity generated from 95 reporting states and regions comes from renewable sources.
According to the analysis, coal use for electricity generation amounts to an average of 12%, compared to a global average of 38%.
The report calls on the governments for further climate action to address a range of environmental issues, including deforestation - although 91% of states and regions consider the local impacts of this issue to be serious or extremely serious, almost 46% have determined policies and nearly 18% have set region-wide targets to tackle the issue.
Tim Ash Vie, Director of the Under2 Coalition of States and Regions at the Climate Group, said: "This is the decade when we must collectively take action, and faster than ever before. It’s time to double down on our climate commitments at all levels of government and do everything we can to ensure a healthy planet for the generations to come."
Kyra Appleby, Global Director, Cities, States and Regions at CDP, commented: "As COP26 draws closer, the example set by the state and regional governments in this report is one for others to aspire to, and to use to push for action that takes us further and faster towards our two crucial milestones. Halving global emissions by 2030 and reaching net zero emissions by 2050."
