"The United Nations announced this week that more than 60 countries have said they will try to reduce their net carbon emissions to zero by 2050. But those countries in 2017, accounted for only 11 percent of global emissions — in other words, not a lot.

That’s because the world’s biggest emitters are missing from the list, including the top three: China, the United States, and India. The sizeable emitters on the aspirational net-zero list include Britain, France and Germany. Most of the rest are small countries that have tiny carbon footprints yet are among the worst affected by the ravages of climate change, like the Bahamas, the Maldives, and the Marshall Islands.

How the net-zero goals will be accomplished is unclear. Some countries may bet on technological advances to capture carbon, which would allow them to continue drilling for oil and gas. Others could seek to offset their emissions by buying credits for green projects like tree-planting programs."

Somini Sengupta and Nadja Popovich report for the New York Times September 25, 2019. [2]