At the conclusion of the G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Ministers’ meeting, a consensus was reached on 64 paragraphs out of the 68 that were taken up for discussion in the agenda, said Union Minister for Environment Bhupender Yadav.
To a question on the four paras where there was no consensus, the minister said, “There were some issues about energy in the four paras. Otherwise, everything is in the consensus. The major achievement of this G20 was that environment, land degradation, blue economy and forests need to be covered and there was common consensus in all these issues. In 95 per cent, there was a consensus.”
Yadav said the meet concluded with G20 ministers standing united in their commitment to create a sustainable and resilient future. In a landmark move, the G20 Members adopted the outcome document on ‘Chennai high level principles on sustainable and resilient blue/ocean-based economy,” he said.
The document will be submitted to the leaders for their consideration to be annexed to the G20 New Delhi Leader’s Declaration 2023. The Ministers also adopted the outcome document and the Chair’s summary, he said. A total of 225 delegates, including 41 Ministers from G20 member and guest countries, participated in the meeting, he added.
The significant achievements and key takeaways were centred around the priority areas under the environment and climate track: land and biodiversity, blue economy, water resource management and circular economy.
Global land initiative
To strengthen the G20 Global Land Initiative, the Presidency also came up with ‘Gandhinagar Implementation Roadmap’ and ‘Gandhinagar Implementation Framework’ for voluntary adoption by G20 members.
India’s G20 Presidency released one outcome document and two Presidency documents under the theme of Blue Economy; four Presidency Documents and Compendiums of Best Practices under the theme Land and Biodiversity, and Water resources management; four Presidency Documents under the theme Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy, he said,
On climate finance, the minister said India’s stand is clear that developing countries need a climate finance and technology transfer coming on the same level field. Developed countries have already planned to provide $100 billion, and there was discussion in the earlier climate finance and COP also.
“India feels that whatever plans by the developed countries must be fulfilled, and the definition of finance must be clarified by the COP,” he said.