G20 strikes deal to keep 1.5 Celsius target ‘within reach’

ROME — G20 leaders will back action to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius at their summit that concludes in Rome on Sunday.

According to a G20 official, the deal was finalized — after all-night talks between diplomats — on Sunday morning, while leaders sat down for a discussion on climate change.

The deal commits leaders to “take further action this decade and to enhance when necessary our 2030” contributions in order to keep the lower temperature goal of the Paris Agreement “within reach.”

Reaching an agreement in Rome was widely seen as an important step ahead of the COP26 U.N. climate summit, which was beginning in Glasgow at the same time as the deal was concluded.

“The decisions we make today will have a direct impact on the success of the Glasgow Summit and, ultimately, on our ability to tackle the climate crisis,” Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, the G20 host, told leaders on Sunday.

According to the same G20 official, agreement was also reached on the text concerning proposals to end overseas coal finance and the building of new coal stations and to eventually totally phase out coal.

David M. Herszenhorn contributed reporting.

This article has been updated.