July 28 (UPI) — G20 nations made no progress on climate policy Friday, failing to agree on renewables and fossil fuel, even as the world suffers the hottest temperatures on record driven by human-induced climate change.
The G20 Environment and Climate Minister’s Meeting issued a long “outcome” document full of language about commitments “to pursue environmentally sustainable and inclusive economic growth and development.”
But the document recognized that no actual agreements were reached that rise to the level of the climate changes the world is experiencing.
“We acknowledge the existing gap between current levels of adaptation and levels needed to respond to impacts and reduce climate risks,” the document said.
While words alone won’t impact the climate crisis without actual agreements on concrete policies, the G20 meeting outcome document say the member nations recognize the strong need for strong policies.
“We acknowledge the urgent need to strengthen policies and mobilize financing, from all sources in a predictable, adequate and timely manner to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation including significantly increasing support for developing countries, and work together on scientific knowledge-sharing, raising awareness, and capacity building,” the document’s preamble said.
No agreements were reached for increasing the scale of renewable energy and there was no consensus on global emissions, according to the meetings’ outcome document.
“We note with concern that global ambition and implementation to address climate change remain insufficient to achieve the temperature goal of the Paris Agreement to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels and pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels,” the document said.
In closing remarks EU Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius condemned the lack of progress.
“At the end of our meeting today, is the glass half full or half empty? It is certainly empty when we look at where we stand on G20 commitments to address climate change – we simply are nowhere,” he said.
