G20 energy ministers fail to agree on road map to phase down use of fossil fuels

In May, G7 leaders agreed in Hiroshima, Japan to ‘accelerate the phase-out of unabated fossil fuels’

A final statement after the meeting in Goa, India on Saturday did not even mention coal, a major contributor to global warming

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Bhupender Yadav, India’s minister of labour, environment, forests and climate change greets Hubertus Heil, Germany’s minister of labour and social affairs, at the G20 meeting of energy ministers in Goa, India on Saturday. Photo: dpa

Published: 1:31am, 23 Jul 2023Updated: 3:49pm, 23 Jul 2023

Energy ministers from the Group of 20 nations (G20) meeting in Goa, India on Saturday failed to agree on a road map to phase down the use of fossil fuels in the global energy mix.

A final statement after the meeting did not even mention coal, a major contributor to global warming.

The dirty fuel is also a key energy source for many developing economies such as India – the world’s most-populous country – and China, the world’s second-largest economy.

Robert Habeck, German vice chancellor and minister for economic affairs and climate protection, left, and Grant Shapps, British minister for energy security and carbon neutrality, at the G20 meeting of energy ministers in Goa, India on Saturday. Photo: dpa

Campaigners were dismayed by the failure to reach agreement in Goa on COP (Conference of the Parties) goals including tripling the world’s renewable capacity and doubling energy efficiency by 2030.

It came despite G7 (Group of Seven) leaders agreeing in Hiroshima, Japan in May to “accelerate the phase-out of unabated fossil fuels”.

Global temperatures are hitting record highs, triggering floods, storms and heatwaves.

Explaining the stalemate, G20 president India said that some members had emphasised the importance of seeking a “phase down of unabated fossil fuels, in line with different national circumstances”.

But “others had different views on the matter that abatement and removal technologies will address such concerns,” it added.

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