G20 nations urged to take up leadership role on climate change mitigation

G20 nations

Jul 27 COP28 President-designate Sultan Al-Jaber, and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Simon Stiell, on Thursday, called upon G20 nations to take a greater leadership role in climate change mitigation and adaptation.

With only 125 days to go for the 2023 Dubai event of the United Nations Climate Change Conference or Conference of the Parties of UNFCCC, referred to as COP 28, the leaders urged the G20 nations to lead the way in delivering a positive outcome on mitigation at the COP28 climate conference this year.

"The science demands a strong mitigation outcome at COP28 that drives a significant reduction in emissions and builds on the progress of previous COPs, and we call on the G20 to lead the way on the basis of both science and equity and lay the path to a strong and credible outcome that provides developing countries with the basis to undertake a just transition,” the leaders said in a joint statement on the sidelines of the G20 fourth Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group and Environment and Climate Ministers meeting here.

They sought for necessary steps to accelerate the inevitable phase-down of all fossil fuels in a responsible manner, in order to have an energy system free of unabated fossil fuels by the middle of this century while enabling access for all and promoting sustainable development.

"We must leave Chennai on the right path and with a clear signal that the political will to tackle the climate crisis and launch a new era of development is within our grasp because it is only a short path to COP28. Every meeting counts, every outcome must bring us closer. The world needs its leaders to unite, act and deliver; and that must start with the G20,” they said.