China pledge and Biden win could move climate goals into view, scientists say

(Reuters, 23 Sep 2020) If a Biden-promised U.S. net-zero pledge comes on top of new EU and China commitments, "there's real hope" climate goals can be met, experts say.

A potential change in U.S. leadership, combined with China's ambitious new emissions-cutting plan and a European "green recovery", could get the world two-thirds of the way to meeting its climate goals if pledges are met, scientists said Wednesday.

Democrat Joe Biden, who hopes to beat climate-change sceptic U.S. President Donald Trump in November's election, has promised to set a U.S. goal for net-zero emissions by 2050, while China made a surprise vow this week to become "carbon-neutral" before 2060.

The European Union, meanwhile, has agreed to spend at least 30% of its hefty coronavirus recovery stimulus on climate action as it advances towards its own net-zero goal, according to new analysis from research coalition Climate Action Tracker.

The three carbon-cutting targets, combined with pledges by smaller nations, would take the world 63% of the way towards the emissions reductions needed to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, said Niklas Höhne of Germany's NewClimate Institute.

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Reuters, 23 Sep 2020: China pledge and Biden win could move climate goals into view, scientists say