India, Brazil, Russia boast success as G20 moot ends

Published September 11, 2023
(FRom left) French President Emmanuel Macron, Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, US President Joe Biden, Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pay respect at the Mahatma Gandhi memorial at Raj Ghat on the sidelines of the G20 summit in New Delhi, on Sunday.—AFP
(FRom left) French President Emmanuel Macron, Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, US President Joe Biden, Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pay respect at the Mahatma Gandhi memorial at Raj Ghat on the sidelines of the G20 summit in New Delhi, on Sunday.—AFP

NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrapped up on Sunday a G20 summit that played down deep divisions over the war in Ukraine and climate change, but gave him a moment in the diplomatic spotlight.

G20 nations have been riven over the Ukraine war since Moscow’s invasion last year, with Russian President Vladimir Putin skipping the summit entirely to dodge political opprobrium.

Leaders of the Group of 20, which brings together Russia and China as well as some of Ukraine’s most ardent backers, have recently struggled to agree on much, in particular about the 18-month-old invasion.

Facing a major diplomatic embarrassment, host India pressed members to agree a common statement on Saturday that denounced the use of force for territorial gain, but shied away from direct criticism of Russia.

Leaders fail to agree to phase out fossil fuels

Kyiv said the G20 had “nothing to be proud of” but Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who stood in for Putin at the meeting, on Sunday claimed a diplomatic win.

“We were able to prevent the West’s attempts to ‘Ukrainise’ the summit agenda,” the veteran diplomat said, dubbing the two-day gathering a “success”. “The text doesn’t mention Russia at all.”

On Sunday, Modi formally closed the summit by passing on a ceremonial gavel to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, whose country will take the bloc’s presidency in December.

“We cannot let geopolitical issues sequester the G20 agenda of discussions,” Lula said, an implicit reference to wrangling over the Ukraine war.

“We have no interest in a divided G20. We need peace and cooperation instead of conflict.” Indian civil servant Amitabh Kant wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the compromise text on Ukraine had involved “over 200 hours of non-stop negotiations, 300 bilateral meetings (and) 15 drafts”.

But despite meeting in what the EU’s climate monitor says is likely to be the hottest year in human history, the leaders failed to agree to a phase-out of fossil fuels, despite a UN report a day earlier deeming the drawdown “indispensable” to achieving net-zero emissions.

Instead, they backed a target of tripling global renewable energy capacity by 2030, while committing only to a “phasedown” of coal “in line with national circumstances”.

G20 members Russia and Saudi Arabia are major oil exporters, while coal consumption is rising in China and India, already the world’s biggest consumers of the dirty fuel.

The climate outcomes were “insufficient”, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday, saying the world must “phase out coal very rapidly and much more quickly than today”.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2023

Opinion

The price of chocolate

The price of chocolate

Little attention is paid to any long-term strategy which might prevent vulnerable children from working in homes where they are in danger.

Editorial

Cholistan project
Updated 18 Feb, 2025

Cholistan project

GPI goals align with Pakistan's broader economic aims but the manner in which the initiative was launched raises questions.
Right to know
18 Feb, 2025

Right to know

IT is an unfortunate paradox that while on paper Pakistan has some of the most impressive right to information laws,...
Dam dispute
18 Feb, 2025

Dam dispute

THE situation in Chilas needs attention and a fair-minded approach so that it can be resolved amicably. Diamer ...
Climate funding gap
Updated 17 Feb, 2025

Climate funding gap

Pakistan must boost its institutional capacity to develop bankable climate projects.
UN monitoring report
Updated 17 Feb, 2025

UN monitoring report

Pakistan must press Kabul diplomatically over its tolerance of TTP terrorism.
Tax policy reform
17 Feb, 2025

Tax policy reform

THE cabinet’s decision to create a Tax Policy Office at the finance ministry has raised hopes that tax policy is...