No G20 consensus on key climate crisis goals

The G20 countries, which contribute 80% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, failed to reach an agreement on the most critical steps to tackle the climate crisis at ministerial talks that concluded on Friday.

- Jayashree Nandi

Among the issues on which the countries were unable to put up a united front were scaling up renewable energy, phasing down unabated use of fossil fuel, doubling the global rate of improvement of energy efficiency, and ensuring greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions peak no later than 2025.

In short, the G20 leaders could not agree on all critical actions needed to stick to the Paris Agreement goals of keeping global warming well below 2°C, let alone target the more ambitious 1.5°C threshold beyond which the world is expected to see devastating floods, droughts and natural calamities.

India, which has the G20 Presidency, issued a G20 environment and climate ministers’ meeting outcome document and chair’s summary that said that “the outcome document comprises the entire text, which was unanimously agreed to by all G20 delegations, except for paragraphs 63-66, which pertains to the Chair’s summary”.

“With the efforts of all G20 countries, a good outcome document came of around 68 paragraphs, out of which 64 paragraphs are by consensus. There is agreement on 95% of the text. The G20 ministers stand united to create a sustainable and resilient future,” said Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav during the concluding press conference.

Agreements struck on the other paragraphs largely included commitments that have been previously agreed upon, at COP27 for instance. The bloc also managed to agree on principles for sustainable and resilient blue/ocean-based economy. A set of nine principles, these are aimed at conserving ocean biodiversity and address impact of climate crisis on ocean-based economies in the G20.