Countries launch plan for climate change technologies

Dozens of countries, including the United States, India, Australia and Kenya, as well as the European Union, announced on Friday a 12-month plan to boost technologies that would help fight global warming.

The so-called Progress Agenda, which has the backing of countries representing more than half of the world economy, was presented on the sidelines of the United Nations climate summit, COP27, held in Egypt.

The plan covers 25 areas where participants plan to accelerate the adoption of low-carbon technologies for power generation, road transport, agriculture, and steel and hydrogen production.

Scientists argue that, to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) by the end of the century, the global economy has to decarbonize by 2050, meaning only greenhouse gases that can be absorbed naturally or artificially should be emitted.

U.S. climate envoy John Kerry said in a statement that the plan will bring governments together to “scale up critical technologies and create new markets.”

Meanwhile, dozens of environmental activists gathered inside the COP27 site to protest against continued fossil fuel investments around the world.

The protesters called on negotiators, especially those from the biggest emitters, to pay more to address the impact of climate change on Africa’s poorest countries.

Lucky Abeng, a Nigerian activist who is part of the Pan-African Alliance for Climate Justice, said they will continue to press world leaders to do more for countries that “contributed little or nothing to climate change.”

Africa is responsible for just 4% of global emissions despite having 17% of the global population, but it is one of the regions most vulnerable to global warming.

“We will continue to make our voices heard,” Abeg said. “We will not be intimidated.”

Source: Los Angeles Times