The Climate Issue: a reflection on 2020
- Details
- Published on Sunday, 29 November -0001 16:00
- Written by editor
In a year of bad news, here are some things to celebrate

December 14TH 2020
The Climate Issue
The best of our climate-change analysis, delivered every fortnight

The stripes on our banner were developed by Ed Hawkins of the University of Reading. They represent the years from 1850 to 2018 and the colour marks each year’s temperature, compared with the average in 1971-2000.
In a year of bad news, here are some things to celebrate. Eleven days ago Britain said it would reduce its greenhouse-gas emissions by 68% below 1990 levels within ten years, becoming one of the first countries to adopt a short-term target that is in line with what the science says is needed to meet the goals of the Paris agreement. The governments of
more than 127 countries, representing roughly two-thirds of global emissions, have either made or are considering promises to reach net-zero emissions by around mid-century. Joe Biden’s election to the White House,
Xi Jinping’s promise to aim for carbon-neutrality in China by 2060, and the EU’s Green Deal all raise hopes for renewed leadership in tackling climate change from the world’s largest economies and largest emitters.
The pandemic and rolling lockdowns dealt an unexpected blow to fossil fuels, which has caused an unprecedented drop in global emissions. King coal, the dirtiest of fossil fuels, is on its way out in the West. Covid-19 recovery plans have provided
an opportunity to shift economies away from fossil fuels. Over the past 12 months, green innovation and venture capital have been boosted, and
more and more investors are pressing polluting companies to shape up. Some are
testing the courts as a last-resort measure to exert pressure.
That’s not to say the climate problem is solved. Far from it. Coal’s fate rests in the hands of Asian governments and companies, particularly Chinese ones. G20 governments’ plans for economic recovery from the pandemic are funnelling 50% more money into projects that rely on burning fossil fuels than into greener ones. Disclosing the financial risks posed by climate change is still optional not mandatory. And yet, as the rapid disintegration of
Arctic ice-sheets, deadly heatwaves and blazing fires remind us, the need for policies that don’t just promise decarbonisation but set it in motion are sorely needed.
But at the start of 2020, I would not have bet on this much progress. So for now, since it’s the time of year for celebration and reflection, let us salute the silver linings.

Catherine Brahic
Environment Editor
Editor’s picks

Paris-anniversary climate pledges bring progress but fall short
Promises at the Climate Ambition summit do not mark a real turning-point

The dirtiest fossil fuel is on the back foot

Is the time now ripe for planes to run on hydrogen?
Some planemakers think the answer may be “yes”

Oil-rich Alberta seeks ways to go green
Canada’s main fossil-fuel producing province mulls hydrogen and geothermal power

As the federal government harrumphs, Australia moves away from coal
Both its states and its export markets have pledged drastic cuts in carbon emissions

Britain excels at announcing climate targets
But it must do more to meet them

Making sense of banks’ climate targets
A lack of data and differing methodologies will make measuring performance fiendishly tricky

“It’s clear climate change is moving faster than we are—but there is hope”—a chat with the UN chief
Was this forwarded to you? Sign up here.
We'd value your feedback on this newsletter. Click here to let us know your thoughts and suggestions or write to us directly at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Keep updated





Copyright © The Economist Newspaper Limited 2020. All rights reserved.
Registered in England and Wales. No.236383
Registered office: The Adelphi, 1–11 John Adam Street, London, WC2N 6HT
This email was sent to: s2This email was sent by: The Economist Newspaper Ltd., The Adelphi, 1-11 John Adam Street, London, London, WC2N 6HT, GB