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Scientists and campaigners are exasperated by international
bodies' foot-dragging on action to curb global warming even as
extreme weather from China to the United States underlines the
climate crisis facing the world.
The G20 member countries together account for over
three-quarters of global emissions and gross domestic product,
and a cumulative effort by the group to decarbonize is crucial
in the global fight against climate change.
However, disagreements including the intended tripling of
renewable energy capacities by 2030 resulted in officials
issuing an outcome statement and a chair summary instead of a
joint communiqué at the end of their four-day meeting in
Bambolim, in the Indian coastal state of Goa.
A joint communiqué is issued when there is complete agreement
between member nations on all issues.
"We had a complete agreement on 22 out of 29 paragraphs, and
seven paragraphs constitute the Chair summary," Indian Power
Minister R.K. Singh said.
Sections urging developed countries to deliver on the goal of
jointly mobilizing $100 billion per year for climate action in
developing economies from 2020-2025, and description of the war
in Ukraine, also eluded consensus.
Fossil fuel use became a lightning rod in day-long discussions,
but officials failed to reach consensus over curbing "unabated"
use and argued over the language to describe the pathway to cut
emissions, two sources familiar with the matter said.
A draft late on Friday reviewed by Reuters read: "The importance
of making efforts towards phase down of unabated fossil fuels,
in line with different national circumstances, was emphasized."
However, the chair statement released on Saturday evening
included concerns from some member nations which were missing in
the Friday draft, noting that "others had different views on the
matter that abatement and removal technologies will address such
concerns".
Singh, in a press briefing after the conference, said some
countries wanted to use carbon capture instead of a phase down
of fossil fuels. He did not name the countries.
Major fossil fuel producers Saudi Arabia, Russia, China, South
Africa and Indonesia are all known to oppose the goal of
tripling renewable energy capacity this decade.
(Reporting by Sudarshan Varadhan and Nidhi Verma in Bambolim;
Editing by William Mallard and Andrew Cawthorne)
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