Not a single word was there in the final statement of the meeting of G20 finance ministers in Baden Baden on 18 March on the Paris climate agreement and financing efforts to tackle climate change.
The fears raised over the disengagement of US President Donald Trump from fighting climate change, fears expressed from the moment he was sworn in, have come to pass in the final statement.
In Hangzhou in July of last year, the finance ministers of the world’s 20 largest economies pledged to move swiftly to implement the Paris climate agreement and spoke of green financing. Now, not even six months after this universal agreement was ratified, the finance ministers of the same G20 countries have not renewed their commitment, after failing to receive the support of the United States.
The statement of support for the Paris Agreement, which was initially planned, was ultimately dropped from the text. French Finance Minister Michel Sapin was very disappointed and he underlined the wish of France (which hosted COP 21) that, on this issue, “the G20 should continue to act firmly and in a concerted manner”.
In the European Parliament, German MEP Jo Leinen (S&D), highlighting the cuts proposed in the United States to the climate action budget, spoke about an attack on the future of the planet.
“The proposed budget cuts on environmental protection and international climate action are a direct attack on the world’s sustainable development. Funding cuts will directly harm global efforts to fight climate change and stabilise the earth’s atmosphere”, he said in a press release. He calls on Congress to oppose the proposal in budget negotiations and for “international pressure” to correct this destructive course. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)