E3G’s ‘carbon competitiveness index’ focuses on the G20 major economies which together account for around 75% of world GDP and nearly 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
According to the report, South Korea is also positioning itself to become a front-runner and other emerging economies such as South Africa and Mexico are leading the way in improving their carbon productivity.
Th report suggested that most countries are failing to deliver the improvements in carbon productivity required to limit global warming below 2°C. Mexico and Argentina, followed by China, South Africa and Germany, are making the best progress on this score.
Nick Mabey, chief executive of E3G, said: “There is a growing global consensus that our best path toward strong economic recovery is through transitioning to a less vulnerable, low carbon economy.”
John Connor, CEO of the Climate Institute, said: “World leaders gathering next week for UN and G20 Summits must increase financial and investment incentives for clean technologies in developed and developing countries. This will be critical to building an ambitious outcome in Copenhagen which could be the engine for low carbon growth for decades to come.”
