G20 fails to reach an agreement on cutting fossil fuels

The G20 meeting in India ended yesterday, Saturday, without reaching a consensus regarding phasing out the use of fossil fuels, after objections from some producing countries.

According to Reuters, scientists and activists were angered by the delay in international organizations taking action to curb global warming, even as extreme weather conditions around the world shed light on the climate crisis.

G20 energy officials were due to issue a joint statement at the end of their four-day meeting in Bambolim, a town in India’s coastal state of Goa.

However, the joint statement was not issued due to disagreements on a number of issues, including the desire to triple renewable energy production capacities by 2030.

The meeting also failed to reach consensus on urging developed countries to achieve the goal of jointly mobilizing $100 billion annually for climate action in developing economies from 2020 to 2025, and to characterize the war in Ukraine.

Two sources familiar with the matter said that the use of fossil fuels was a focus of discussions that lasted throughout the day, but that officials did not reach a consensus on reducing its continuous use without interruption.

Indian Energy Minister Raj Kumar Singh said, in a press conference after the meetings ended, that some countries want to use carbon capture processes instead of phasing out fossil fuels, without mentioning the names of these countries.

It is well known that the major fossil fuel producers, namely Saudi Arabia, Russia, China, South Africa and Indonesia, oppose the goal of tripling renewable energy capabilities in this decade.