COP27: Countries representing 50 percent GDP set out action plan to decarbonisation under five key sectors

Sharm-El Sheikh: At COP27, countries under the “Breakthrough Agenda”on Friday launched a package of 25 new priority actions to speed up the decarbonisation under five key breakthroughs of power, road transport, steel, hydrogen and agriculture.

“Under the Breakthrough Agenda countries representing more than 50% of global GDP set out sector-specific ‘Priority Actions’ to decarbonise power, transport and steel, scale up low-emission hydrogen production and accelerate the shift to sustainable agriculture by COP28” said the statement.

These measures are also designed to cut energy costs, rapidly reduce emissions and boost food security for billions of people worldwide and will be reinforced with private finance and leading industry initiatives and further countries are encouraged to join.

The Priority Actions include, agreements to develop common definitions for low-emission and near-zero emission steel, hydrogen and sustainable batteries to help direct billions of pounds in investment, procurement and trade to ensure credibility and transparency.

It also include Ramp up the deployment of essential infrastructure projects including at least 50 large scale net-zero emission industrial plants, at least 100 hydrogen valleys and a package of major cross-border power grid infrastructure projects.

Set a common target date to phase out polluting cars and vehicles, consistent with the Paris Agreement.

Actions target sectors accounting for more than 50% of global greenhouse gas emissions and are also designed to reduce energy costs and enhance food security, with buildings and cement sectors to be added to the Breakthrough Agenda next year.

The “Breakthrough Agenda” announcements build on the leader-level commitment at COP26 by 45 countries to work together to make clean technologies and sustainable solutions the most affordable, accessible and attractive option in each of the emissions-intensive sectors of the global economy, before the end of this decade.

Against the backdrop of rising food prices, 13 countries have now endorsed the Agriculture Breakthrough led by the UK and Egypt, including recent new joiners Australia, Cambodia, Germany and Ireland, which aims to make climate-resilient, sustainable agriculture the most widely adopted option by 2030.

“Since we launched the Breakthrough Agenda at COP26, the world has changed and we are facing a perilous geopolitical and economic situation. That only makes international collaboration more urgent,” said Alok Sharma, COP26 President.

“That’s why I am pleased that countries representing over 50% of global GDP have now agreed to a set of priority actions for implementation” he added.

Initiated by the UK COP Presidency in partnership with the Race to Zero and the UN Climate Change High Level Champions, this major international government-led programme will be overseen by Mission Innovation and Clean Energy Ministerial from COP27 through to COP28.

“The Breakthrough Agenda is galvanizing action in this decisive decade across the world’s most important economic sectors to decarbonize. I congratulate our close partners the United Kingdom on the continued success of the Breakthrough Agenda,” said United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry.

Other key developments seen throughout the year include:

23 national governments and the European Commission, collaborating under Mission Innovation, announced investment in 221 demonstration projects this year in clean energy innovation across key sectors including hydrogen and power.

$94bn has been committed by governments – including 15 Clean Energy Ministerial members and 14 Mission Innovation members – towards demonstrating clean energy technologies by 2026 in response to US President Joe Biden’s $90bn Challenge.