US must halve emissions to galvanize global climate action - UN chief

Washington/Brussels: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres wants the United States to commit this week to at least halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 -- a move he said could unlock similar action from the world's other large emitters.

The United States, the world's biggest economy and second-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases behind China will host a virtual climate change summit on April 22-23. Washington has urged world leaders to use the event as an opportunity to pledge more ambitious emissions cuts. Guterres said the White House's own pledge needed to set the bar high.