Progress Rings Visualization of G20 countries’ achievements on SDG13 (Climate Action)

Abstract

In this paper, we present a novel multidimensional visualization methodology—Progress Rings Visualization—to comprehensively analyze the performance of G20 nations regarding Sustainable Development Goal 13 (Climate Action). Through the visualization of four critical indicators—carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion and cement production (FFCP), greenhouse gas emissions embodied in imports (GHGI), carbon dioxide emissions embodied in fossil fuel exports (FFEX), and carbon pricing scores (CPS)—the study elucidates the disparities in climate action performance amongst G20 nations. Our findings indicate that whilst certain countries, such as France and Turkey, demonstrate balanced performance across all indicators, the majority exhibit distinctive polarization patterns: developed economies typically excel in carbon pricing policy implementation but underperform in emissions control, whereas developing nations generally achieve better emissions management but lag in carbon pricing policy development. The multidimensional visualization methodology proposed herein transcends the limitations of traditional composite indices, which frequently obscure critical indicator-specific performance variations. This approach provides valuable insights for formulating more targeted and nuanced climate policies, thereby contributing significantly to advancing balanced and equitable global climate governance frameworks.