The G20 must act as a bridge between ambition and implementation of climate action, Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav said while speaking at the G20 Environment Ministers’ Meeting in Cape Town on Thursday.
Bhupender Yadav (ANI)
Yadav called on the G20 to ensure that every nation’s contribution is respected and their capacity is enhanced. “We must reaffirm the principles of ‘Common but differentiated responsibilities and Respective Capabilities’. Finance to developing countries to meet the vital environmental challenges needs to be honoured as an onerous duty rather than a mere promise because equality is not a privilege – it is a right,” he said, according to a statement released by the environment ministry.
The ministry said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address at the G20 Summit last year , highlighted the relevance of going “back to the basics” and the importance of integrating it with our “march to the future”. “Ecosystem-based solutions and futuristic technologies must converge to create a sustainable future. Knowledge sharing, capacity building, technology co-development and transfer will play a significant role in attaining sustainability”, he stated.
The minister advocated a ”whole-of-the-society” approach and “pro-planet lifestyle choices” of individuals shall be most relevant for achieving meaningful and tangible outcomes, the statement said. “We sincerely appreciate and fully support the people-centric, holistic, integrated and collaborative approach proposed by the South African Presidency,” he added.
G20 member states, minus the African Union, accounted for 77 % of emissions in 2023. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the G20 members also increased in 2023, according to the UNEP’s The Emissions Gap Report 2024. The six largest GHG emitters in G20 accounted for 63% of global GHG emissions. By contrast, least developed countries accounted for only 3%, the report highlighted.