Russia, China Need To 'Really Step Up' Efforts To Lower Emissions - Kerry

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th February, 2021) Russia, China, India and other big emitting countries should accelerate their efforts in lowering air pollution, US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry said during the virtual 2021 Global Engagement Summit.

"China, which is the largest emitter in the world, needs to be part of the 2020-2030 effort," Kerry said on Friday. "India needs to be part of it, Russia needs to be part of it and all the big emitting countries in the world need to really step up and begin the lower dose emissions."

Kerry urged countries to ramp up their efforts to use renewable energy sources as well as take other steps in support of efforts not to pollute the environment.

"All nations must raise ambitions together, or we will all fail together," he said.

Kerry noted that the world should cut global emissions in half by 2030.

Earlier on Friday, the United States officially rejoined the Paris Climate Agreement, 107 days after the administration of former US President Donald Trump withdrew the country from the accord.

The Paris Agreement, signed by more than 190 nations in December 2015 and effective since November 2016, has set the objective to keep the rise in global temperature to less than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels and reach the net-zero-emission target by 2050.