G20 agrees to disagree on tackling climate change
Agrees on tackling ocean plastic pollution by 2050
After much wrangling, the Group of 20 major economies yesterday agreed to disagree on fighting climate change, with the United States dissenting from a commitment to carry out the 2015 Paris climate change agreement.
In a communique at the end of a two-day summit in Japan’s western city of Osaka, the grouping said “signatories to the Paris Agreement” reaffirmed their commitment to its full implementation, referring to the 19 members aside from the US.
The United States withdrew from the Paris pact because it “disadvantages American workers and taxpayers,” the grouping added in a subsequent section, adopting a two-part approach used at last year’s summit in Buenos Aires.
Even before the summit started, the differences over climate change became apparent when President Emmanuel Macron said France would not accept a final text that omitted the Paris pact.
G20 officials said the negotiations to secure acceptable language on climate change were contentious. The first chunk of text reflecting the majority view said members had “common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities” in implementing the pact.
The section on the American stance said the United States employed a “balanced approach to energy and environment” to deliver “affordable, reliable, and secure energy to all its citizens”.
The US approach uses “all energy sources and technologies, including clean and advanced fossil fuels and technologies, renewables, and civil nuclear power, while also reducing emissions and promoting economic growth,” it added.
The G20 did manage to agree on tackling plastic trash in the ocean. In the statement the grouping said it adopted an “Osaka Blue Ocean Vision” that aims to stamp out additional pollution by marine plastic litter by 2050.
There were no details of how the goal would be met, except that members would adopt “a comprehensive life-cycle approach” by improving waste management and finding innovative solutions while recognising the importance of plastics for society.