G20 leaders must put their money where their mouths are on climate change

Coal use is falling, power-sector pollution is edging down, and a host of new clean-transport policies is being rolled out, but none of this is happening fast enough, not least because G20 countries are also quietly funneling cash toward carbon-intensive sectors.

Some G20 economies are taking positive steps. The European Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom have devised more ambitious emissions-reduction plans more closely aligned with the 1.5C goal.

Late last year, at their summit in Riyadh, G20 leaders identified climate change as one of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century. 

“As we recover from the pandemic,” their communiqué read, “we are committed to safeguarding our planet and building a more environmentally sustainable and inclusive future for all people.” That commitment hasn’t quite materialized.