G-20 energy ministers meet as extreme heat puts focus on energy transition

Image: Twitter/G20 India

Group of 20 (G-20) energy ministers were meeting for talks in India as extreme weather impacts parts of Europe, the US and Asia, spurring fresh demands for progress on climate action and a shift away from fossil fuels.

The talks in Goa are intended to lay the ground for a leaders’ summit in September and offer an opportunity to reinvigorate sluggish energy diplomacy ahead of key global meetings this year. The UAE’s Dr Sultan Al Jaber, president-designate of the COP28 conference, is scheduled to address the India event.

Blistering recent heat waves have toppled temperature records and triggered deaths in India and other nations. That’s prompted calls from campaigners for countries to make a greater commitment to curb emissions, and to extend efforts to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees C.

My remarks at the G20 Energy Ministers’ Meeting. https://t.co/jDDzummP4Z

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 22, 2023

Strengthening international ties is essential to tackling climate change and to ensuring regions benefit from a transition to cleaner energy, according to Australia’s Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen. “The global climate emergency is also a shared economic opportunity for key partners,” Bowen said, before traveling to the Goa talks.

G-20 countries’ emissions

G-20 nations account for about three-quarters of greenhouse gas emissions and should aim to make progress under India’s presidency in areas including the phasing down of fossil fuels, improving the flow of climate finance and accelerating adoption of renewable energy, research group E3G said in May.

Talks in the past week between the US and China — the world’s two biggest emitters — failed to deliver any major new pact, dimming hopes for both the G-20 and COP28, which begins in November in Dubai. The two powers will now accelerate their discussions and found some agreement on the need to reduce coal consumption, US climate envoy John Kerry said Wednesday in Beijing.

A meeting of Group of Seven energy ministers in April disappointed activists, failing to agree on a deadline to end new coal investments and offering some support for natural gas projects.