US President Joe Biden will host 40 world leaders on Thursday for talks on the climate crisis.
The virtual summit – which kicks off on Earth Day and ends on Friday – comes after the new US administration rejoined the Paris climate agreement in February, reversing former President Donald Trump’s withdrawal.
During the event, Joe Biden is expected to announce a new target in reducing US greenhouse gas emissions – at least a 50% cut by 2030, compared to 2005 levels.
Having the US back in the climate talks is “hugely significant,” Heather Alberro, professor of environmental politics at Nottingham Trent University, told Euronews.
But the US “remains a major economy with a significant carbon footprint,” Alberro added, and it is being pushed by “social movements” for an even higher reduction – “at least 70%”.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are among those invited to the summit.
During his annual address to the nation on Thursday, the Kremlin leader said tighter controls were needed in fighting carbon emissions.
“We must find answers to the climate change challenges, adjust our agriculture, industry, the housing and utilities sector and the entire infrastructure of them, create a carbon utilisation sector, bring down emissions and introduce strict control and monitoring measures.”
