Climate change: A polluter's easy path to the zero emissions club

Countries accounting for about 56% of the world's emissions have now announced or are investigating targets to eliminate their emissions by mid-century

Suddenly, it seems all the world is heading to zero. 

Just a month after Chinese President Xi Jinping promised to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2060, the leaders of Japan and South Korea pledged to hit the same target 10 years sooner. The European Union and U.K. have already put their 2050 pledges into law. In total, countries accounting for about 56 per cent of the world’s emissions have now announced or are investigating targets to eliminate their emissions by mid-century. 

Who’s next?

Looking down the list of the world’s major emitters, you might think  we’ve hit a