The G20 is far from unblocking COP29 despite calls to curb climate crisis

The G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro made little climate progress in its final declaration, revealed on Monday, which included calls for ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon, while backing “initiatives” for a “just and lasting” peace in Ukraine. The decisions of the world’s top leaders were eagerly awaited to try to advance the climate negotiations at COP29 in Baku (Azerbaijan), stalled around financing against the environmental crisis and the transition from fossil to clean energies. But the final declaration avoided mentioning the commitment the international community made at COP28 to progressively wean itself off fossil fuels, despite UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ call for “concessions” to save the planet. “The leaders are putting the ball back in Baku, but the problem is that the one who can make the decisions (the leaders themselves) is in Rio,” Mick Sheldrick, co-founder of the NGO Global Citizen, told AFP. “They have not made the grade,” there is “not even a reference to what was achieved at COP28,” he added. This is probably going to make it difficult to reach an agreement” in Baku.

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