The leaders of the G20 major economies have agreed to make joint efforts to keep the increase in global average temperature below one-and-a-half degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

The agreement was unveiled in the G20 Rome Leaders' Declaration adopted after the G20 Summit that was held in the Italian capital on Saturday and Sunday. With the communique, the countries reaffirmed their commitment to the Paris Agreement which was adopted in December 2015.

The final declaration said the G20 countries recognize that the impacts of climate change at one-and-a-half degrees Celsius are much lower than at two degrees Celsius. It went on to say that limiting the increase in global temperature to one-and-a-half degrees will require “meaningful and effective action and commitment” by all nations.

Observers say that compared to the Paris Agreement, the joint communique made headway by highlighting the one-and-a-half degrees Celsius goal but failed to reach agreements on ways to go about reaching that goal. 

Observers said the final declaration had made no specific mention to 2050 as a date to achieve net zero carbon emissions, saying the declaration only stated “by or around mid-century” as the deadline.