The G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro concluded on Monday (November 18), with leaders failing to break key deadlocks in UN climate negotiations, as geopolitical tensions, notably the war in Ukraine and Donald Trump’s return to the White House, dominated discussions.
Climate commitments falter
Prior to the conference, the UN had urged G20 governments to rescue stalled climate negotiations in Azerbaijan by providing increased financial help to impoverished countries dealing with the terrible repercussions of global warming. However, there were no formal pledges since G20 countries disagreed on who should pay.
The summit’s final communiqué vaguely said that the necessary cash will come “from all sources” without naming contributions.
Criticism follows
Mick Sheldrick of Global Citizen criticized the leaders’ inaction, noting, “The leaders are kicking the can back to Baku”.
“This is probably going to make it harder to achieve an agreement,” he told AFP.
Ukraine war escalation
The crisis in Ukraine dominated conversations, as the United States’ recent contentious policy move allowing Kyiv to fire long-range missiles on Russian territory risks intensifying the conflict. Russia has previously warned of a “appropriate response” if its land is attacked.
The looming return of Donald Trump, renowned for his isolationist “America First” views, has raised concerns about global diplomacy. As US President Joe Biden attended the conference as a lame-duck, Chinese President Xi Jinping positioned himself as a stabilizing factor, urging for “no escalation of wars, and no fanning of flames.”
Addressing Middle East tensions, the G20 issued a statement calling for “comprehensive” ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon.
Brazil’s push for social justice
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva aimed to focus conversations on tackling global hunger and inequality. He introduced the centerpiece of his G20 presidency, a Global Alliance Against Poverty and Hunger, with the backing of 82 countries, and set an ambitious goal of feeding 500 million people by 2030.
The conference also announced a vow to “engage cooperatively” to guarantee that the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share in taxes.
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Source: Wion
