Will the G20 Spur Post-Paris Climate Action? 3 Signs to Look For

This briefing by the World Resources Institute outlines three key indicators that would demonstrate the G20's commitment to climate action following the 2015 Paris Agreement, ahead of the September summit in Hangzhou, China.

• G20 nations hold significant global influence, representing approximately 80 percent of both global GDP and greenhouse gas emissions, meaning their success in meeting emissions targets could shift the global emissions curve downward.
• The author suggests the G20 should commit to phasing out fossil fuel subsidies by 2025, noting that these subsidies and tax breaks cost an estimated $550 billion annually and often exceed domestic spending on health or education in countries like Indonesia and previously Mexico.
• To promote green finance, the G20 could encourage comprehensive climate-related financial risk disclosure to account for extreme weather and stranded fossil fuel assets. France is already implementing mandatory disclosure, and China has established a Green Finance Study Group to identify barriers to private low-carbon investment.
• A critical sign of progress would be the ratification of the Paris Agreement by all G20 parties before the end of 2016 to ensure it enters into force before political transitions in China and the United States.

APA

World Resources Institute (2016). Will the G20 Spur Post-Paris Climate Action? 3 Signs to Look For. https://www.wri.org/insights/will-g20-spur-post-paris-climate-action-3-signs-look

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Will the G20 Spur Post-Paris Climate Action? 3 Signs to Look For. 2016. https://www.wri.org/insights/will-g20-spur-post-paris-climate-action-3-signs-look.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Will the G20 Spur Post-Paris Climate Action? 3 Signs to Look For |date=15 August 2016 |url=https://www.wri.org/insights/will-g20-spur-post-paris-climate-action-3-signs-look |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2016will, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Will the G20 Spur Post-Paris Climate Action? 3 Signs to Look For}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2016}, month = aug, url = {https://www.wri.org/insights/will-g20-spur-post-paris-climate-action-3-signs-look}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }