G20 agrees to pursue tripling renewables capacity but stop short of major goals
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India announce the launch of a global biofuel alliance
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – G20 leaders on Saturday agreed to pursue tripling renewable energy capacity globally by 2030 and accepted the need to phase-down unabated coal power, but stopped short of setting major climate goals.
The world's 20 major economies have had disagreements on commitments to reduce fossil fuel use, cut greenhouse gas emissions and increase renewable energy targets.
One such sticking point was a proposal by Western countries to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030 and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 60 per cent by 2035, which was opposed by Russia, China, Saudi Arabia and India, three officials told Reuters
The declaration adopted by G20 leaders on the first day of the two-day summit in New Delhi did not mention cutting greenhouse emissions.
It said member nations "will pursue and encourage efforts to triple renewable energy capacity globally ... in line with national circumstances by 2030."
The G20 member countries together account for over 80pc of global emissions and a cumulative effort by the group to decarbonise is crucial in the global fight against climate change.
Climate talks at the bloc's summit will be keenly watched by the world ahead of the COP28 UN climate summit in the United Arab Emirates later this year.
The G20 has agreed that "national circumstances" will be factored into the phasing down of "unabated coal power" but did not mention reduction in usage of crude oil, suggesting that countries like oil-rich Saudi Arabia prevailed during the negotiations.
On phasing down fossil fuels, the declaration said the leaders "recognise the importance" to accelerate measures that will help transition to low-emission energy systems, "including accelerating efforts towards phasedown of unabated coal power, in line with national circumstances".
The bloc had failed to reach consensus during previous ministerial meetings on environment and energy. The declaration also does not commit to reaching net zero commitments faster than 2050, something that the G7 nations were pushing for.
Instead, the declaration said: "we reiterate our commitment to achieve global net zero greenhouse gas emissions/carbon neutrality by or around mid-century, while taking into account the latest scientific developments and in line with different national circumstances".
It also noted the need to provide low-cost and sustainable financing to developing countries to support their transition to lower emissions.
GLOBAL BIOFUEL ALLIANCE
India announced on Saturday the launch of a global biofuel alliance at a G20 summit in New Delhi to boost the use of cleaner fuels.
The alliance, with the United States and Brazil as its founding members, would help accelerate global efforts to meet net zero emissions targets by facilitating trade in biofuels derived from sources including plant and animal waste.
"We are launching the Global Biofuel Alliance. India invites all of you to join this initiative," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his remarks to leaders from the Group of 20 major economies at the summit.
The push for a biofuels alliance mirrors the International Solar Alliance launched by New Delhi and Paris in 2015 to bring clean and affordable solar energy within the reach of all.
The International Energy Agency estimates in a July report that global sustainable biofuels production would need to triple by 2030 to put the world's energy system on track towards net zero emissions by 2050.
India, the world's third-biggest oil importer and consumer, imports about 85pc of its crude needs and is gradually building capacity to increase its output of biofuels.
India is targeting to become carbon neutral by 2070 and is expanding use of biofuel in its transport sector. It has advanced the deadline by 5 years to 2025 for doubling nationwide ethanol blending in gasoline to 20pc.
The alliance will help by encouraging global biofuels trade, developing concrete policies on lesson-sharing and promoting provision of technical support for national biofuels programmes worldwide, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said in July.
The South Asian nation plans to build 12 bio-refineries to produce fuel from items including crop stubble, plant waste and municipal solid waste.
