NEW DELHI: Rekha Devi, a 30-year-old farm worker, faces an uncertain future. Her family has been living in a makeshift tent on a half-built overpass, trying to escape the devastation caused by record monsoon rains that wreaked havoc across northern India.
The floods killed over 100 people, displaced thousands, and submerged vast areas of New Delhi. Like many others, Rekha’s family lost everything they had accumulated over two decades, including her husband’s work tools and their children’s school uniforms and books. Now, as the G20 summit takes place less than 10 kilometres away, Rekha and her family are wondering if any meaningful climate action will come out of the meeting.
The G20 summit, composed of the world’s largest economies and major greenhouse gas producers, represents a critical opportunity to address the global climate crisis. Unfortunately, climate ministers from these nations left their last meeting in July without reaching significant agreements on climate policies. Key issues include disputes over capping global carbon dioxide emissions by 2025, establishing a carbon border tax, expanding renewable energy use, phasing out fossil fuels, and increasing aid to countries hardest hit by climate change.
Shayak Sengupta, an energy and research fellow at the Observer Research Foundation America, noted that while broad agreements on fossil fuel reduction and renewable energy expansion were elusive, there were positive developments in specific sectors like green hydrogen, critical minerals, energy efficiency, finance for the energy transition, and energy access. Still, the urgency of the climate crisis demands bolder actions.
As the G20’s top leaders convene for their meetings this weekend, there is hope that they will deliver a powerful message of climate action. Madhura Joshi, an energy analyst at the climate think tank E3G, expressed optimism that an ambitious climate agenda could emerge from the summit. Such an agenda would not only demonstrate the G20’s commitment to climate action but also inspire confidence heading into the global climate conference, COP28, to be held in Dubai later this year.
One challenge in the climate negotiations is that the decisions required are monumental and exceed the scope of climate ministers’ authority. Luca Bergamaschi, CEO of the Italian climate think tank Ecco Climate, and former head of the Italian government’s climate team, emphasized the need for leaders like Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who currently holds the G20 presidency, to step up as global leaders and bridge the gap between the West and the rest of the world on climate and energy negotiations.
In Bergamaschi’s view, leaders must advocate for more substantial action, particularly in transitioning away from fossil fuels and accelerating the adoption of renewable energy sources. Such a stance would send a resounding message about the collective commitment to combating climate change and safeguarding vulnerable communities like Rekha Devi’s family, who are on the front lines of climate impacts.
