The G20 in Hangzhou pledged to implement the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and called for ratification of the Paris Agreement "as soon as possible" by all parties, thus meeting the EU’s expectations (see EUROPE 11616, 11612), but only partially meeting NGOs’ expectations.
Environmental NGOs say the G20 statement adopted on Monday 5 September has the advantage of putting climate change centre stage in the global political agenda, thus sending a "strong signal" to the world’s nations. Greenpeace urges all parties in the world to respond to this call so that the Agenda can come into force this year, said Jennifer Morgan, director of Greenpeace International. The upcoming talks on the Montreal Protocol at the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO, 27 September to 7 October) will be the next key steps to bear witness to the pledge in favour of the environment, explains the NGO.
The NGOs are disappointed at the lack of deadlines for phasing out subsidies to the fossil fuel industry. CAN Europe (Climate Action Network) immediately criticised this, calling on Germany, which will be the next chair of the G20, and the EU to agree on rapid elimination of fossil fuel subsidies around the world and to put their words into action in Europe.
Wendal Trio, CAN Europe director, said in a press release that "the outcome of the G20 summit unfortunately shows that despite soaring pressure to phase out fossil fuel subsidies in light of the Paris Agreement, leaders of the world’s largest economies are still shying away from their responsibility to set a deadline to phase out subsidies. To stay true to the Paris objective, all G20 countries, including the EU, need to phase out all fossil fuel subsidies by 2020". In 2009, they committed to this but did not set a date. The EU committed to do so by 2020, and NGOs say it must deliver on its promises in order to set an example. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)