4 Big Outcomes the Leaders Summit on Climate Can Deliver

This briefing by the World Resources Institute outlines four critical objectives for the Leaders Summit on Climate (April 22-23, 2021), hosted by the United States. The document argues that the summit is a vital milestone for major economies to align their 2030 emissions targets with net-zero trajectories, increase climate finance for developing nations, end public funding for coal, and ensure COVID-19 economic recovery plans prioritize green infrastructure over fossil fuels to keep the 1.5 degree Celsius warming limit within reach.

• The United States should establish a 2030 emissions-reduction target of 50% below 2005 levels. Such a target is considered cost-effective with current technology and could potentially support 25 million jobs over 15 years while saving the average household up to $2,000 annually on energy costs.
• Major economies, specifically Japan, South Korea, Canada, and China, need to align their 2030 nationally determined contributions (NDCs) with their long-term net-zero goals. China is specifically urged to set targets for non-CO2 emissions, such as methane and hydrofluorocarbons, as its non-CO2 emissions alone would rank as the seventh-largest global emitter if they were a country.
• There is an urgent need for developed nations to increase climate finance for developing countries. The U.S. is encouraged to deliver $2 billion in unpaid funding pledged in 2014 to the Green Climate Fund. Additionally, China, South Korea, and Japan—the three largest public funders of coal plant construction—should end public coal finance for projects in countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam, and South Africa, where 84 gigawatts (GW) are currently under construction.
• Global COVID-19 recovery plans should be 'greened' to avoid propping up carbon-intensive industries. The document notes that governments have previously announced more stimulus for fossil fuels than clean energy, despite research indicating that clean energy or ecosystem conservation investments provide economic returns two to seven times higher than unsustainable sectors.

APA

World Resources Institute (2021). 4 Big Outcomes the Leaders Summit on Climate Can Deliver. https://www.wri.org/insights/4-big-outcomes-leaders-summit-climate-can-deliver

Chicago

World Resources Institute. 4 Big Outcomes the Leaders Summit on Climate Can Deliver. 2021. https://www.wri.org/insights/4-big-outcomes-leaders-summit-climate-can-deliver.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=4 Big Outcomes the Leaders Summit on Climate Can Deliver |date=7 April 2021 |url=https://www.wri.org/insights/4-big-outcomes-leaders-summit-climate-can-deliver |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2021big, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{4 Big Outcomes the Leaders Summit on Climate Can Deliver}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2021}, month = apr, url = {https://www.wri.org/insights/4-big-outcomes-leaders-summit-climate-can-deliver}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }