G20: Climate and Covid top agenda as world leaders meet

Climate change and Covid are at the top of the agenda as leaders of the world’s major economies meet in Italy. It is the first time that the G20 leaders have met face to face since the beginning of the pandemic.

However, China Xi Jinping and Russian Vladimir Putin will not be in Rome for the summit, choosing to appear via video link.

The session comes amid increasingly dire warnings for the future if urgent action is not taken to reduce emissions.

From 19 countries in the European Union, the group is estimated to account for 80% of global emissions.

Speaking ahead of the two-day summit, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson suggested that no action would lead to the “return of our civilization”, to “future generations living a life far less enjoyable than our own”.

However, he acknowledged that neither the G20 summit nor the forthcoming COP26 summit in Glasgow, which starts on Monday, would stop global warming, saying “the most we hope to do is increase read “.

According to Reuters news agency, a draft statement outlines a promise by the G20 to work to limit the rise in temperatures to 1.5C (2.7F) – but no legally binding agreement will be reached.

Mr Johnson is also expected to address coronavirus vaccination inequality during the summit, and his fellow leaders say “the pace of recovery depends on how quickly we can overcome Covid”, with the first priority being “the quick, fair and global distribution of vaccines “.

More than six billion covid vaccine doses have been administered worldwide. However, a letter addressed to Italian PM Mario Draghi, who hosts the G20, from more than 160 former world figures and figures worldwide, notes that only 2% of people in low-income countries have gotten a jab.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden will press the countries to boost energy production related to rocket prices and discuss a plan to prevent future pandemics. He will also meet with Mr Johnson and Frenchman Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel to discuss the burden of the Iranian nuclear deal.

The group is also expected to support a global minimum tax rate of at least 15%, supported by 140 countries worldwide. The draft of the statement calls for it to be sometime in 2023.