G20 Climate Talks Face Difficulties Reaching Agreement Due to Coal Disagreements

[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] At the G20 summit held in Rome, Italy on the 30th (local time), climate change response is expected to be a key agenda item, but it is anticipated that reaching an agreement will be difficult due to disagreements over 'coal phase-out.' This is also expected to impact the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), which opens on the 31st in Glasgow, UK.

The US daily newspaper The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that G20 leaders will push for a joint statement on implementing the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement at this meeting, but reaching a consensus will remain difficult, and few concrete proposals are expected to emerge.

With climate change issues expected to be the biggest point of contention, global attention is focused on the fact that major country leaders may coordinate their positions and advance discussions just before the COP26 meeting. Countries have agreed under the Paris Agreement to limit the global average temperature rise to within 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels.

However, WSJ diagnosed that the recent escalating energy crisis has led leaders to reconsider their stance on fossil fuels. In particular, after the lifting of COVID-19 lockdowns, the sharp rise in fossil fuel prices has caused countries such as China and the UK to rely on coal for their industries and power supply.

If no positive signals emerge from the G20 summit, reaching an agreement at COP26 is expected to become even more difficult. From the perspective of the climate change agenda, the G20 summit is an extension of COP26, and the two meetings can mutually influence each other.

Earlier, the G20 held an environment ministers' meeting and a joint climate and energy ministers' meeting in Naples last July, but ended without agreeing on halting the construction of coal-fired power plants or setting timelines for reducing coal use.

Countries with high carbon emissions such as China, India, and Australia raised opposition to these goals, and Turkey, Russia, and Saudi Arabia shared similar views. While climate scientists and developed countries urge more proactive climate change responses, developing countries like China and India have argued that focusing first on fulfilling existing commitments and economically supporting poor countries fighting climate change is more important.

They have also criticized developed countries for not keeping their promises on carbon emission reduction targets and financial support to developing countries. Some countries are concerned that agreeing to a phased coal phase-out could lead to pressure to reduce the use of other coal-related fuels such as gas or oil.

In China's case, experiencing coal supply shortages has highlighted the importance of energy security, which has also led to revisions in the national carbon roadmap. Unlike the initial version, the final draft added references to new power plants and emphasized energy security, while renewable energy targets were omitted, WSJ reported.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.