The G20 transition to a low-carbon economy

This report by the NewClimate Institute evaluates the progress of G20 countries in transitioning from fossil-fuel-based economies to low-carbon, climate-resilient ones, highlighting a significant gap between current national commitments and the goals of the Paris Agreement.

• G20 countries collectively need to reduce emissions by approximately half by 2030 to align with Paris Agreement goals, but current Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are insufficient, potentially leading to a global temperature increase of about 3.2°C. India has the most ambitious NDC, while those of Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey could lead to warming exceeding 4°C if mirrored globally.
• Energy-related CO2 emissions in 15 G20 countries rose again in 2017 after a period of stagnation between 2014 and 2016. Fossil fuels continue to dominate the G20 energy supply, accounting for 82% on average, with the share increasing specifically in Canada, India, and Indonesia between 2012 and 2017.
• Sectoral performance varies across the G20: South Africa, Australia, and Indonesia have the highest emission intensity in power and lack coal phase-out plans; the US, Canada, and Australia have the highest per capita transport emissions; and the EU is the only entity with a high policy rating for industry due to low-carbon targets for new installations.
• Financial mechanisms in the G20 often contradict climate goals, with fossil fuel subsidies increasing from US$75 billion in 2007 to US$147 billion in 2016. Only France and Canada generate more public revenue from explicit carbon pricing than they spend on fossil fuel subsidies.
• Some G20 nations have implemented 'just transition' initiatives to support workers affected by the shift to a green economy. Examples include Canada's federal taskforce for coal workers, China's US$4.56 billion allocation to support the closure of inefficient coal mines and redeploy 1 million workers, and France's 2019 draft finance bill creating a ten-year compensation fund for local authorities.

APA

NewClimate Institute (2018). The G20 transition to a low-carbon economy. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/brown-to-green-report-2018

Chicago

NewClimate Institute. The G20 transition to a low-carbon economy. 2018. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/brown-to-green-report-2018.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=NewClimate Institute |title=The G20 transition to a low-carbon economy |date=14 November 2018 |url=http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/brown-to-green-report-2018 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{newclimateinstitute2018g20, author = {{NewClimate Institute}}, title = {{The G20 transition to a low-carbon economy}}, institution = {NewClimate Institute}, year = {2018}, month = nov, url = {http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/brown-to-green-report-2018}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }