NGOs urge Merkel to push G20 on climate despite US opt-out
Setting the scene for the G20 summit, more than 300 civil society organisations from all over the world descended on the northern city of Hamburg to hand Chancellor Merkel a list of their .
After the US decision to leave the Paris Climate Agreement, the G20 engagement group Civil20 (C20) called on 鈥渢he remaining 19 members of the G20 to reaffirm their unfaltering commitment鈥� to the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement.
They urged the G20 to no longer treat 鈥渢he environment, oceans and the atmosphere as though they were limitless sinks for pollution and greenhouse gases,鈥� as part of 鈥渁 radical transformation of the present neoliberal economic system.鈥�
The C20 call for phasing out fossil fuel subsidies, setting effective and fair carbon price signals and 鈥渟ticking to the promises鈥� to ramp up climate financing. The communiqu茅 is a condensed version of .
鈥淲e will not be able to fulfil everything you envisage,鈥� Merkel told the NGOs in a crowded university lecture hall. 鈥淏ut things will hopefully progress again step-by-step this time. Above all, we must not go backwards.鈥�
Germany this year holds the G20 presidency and wants to make climate protection a priority at the summit. After US President Donald Trump鈥檚 decision to pull out of the Paris Climate Agreement, negotiations have become more difficult and the German government has been trying to close the ranks of the remaining G19.
鈥淚t breaks one鈥檚 heart鈥�
At the civil society meeting in Hamburg, the chancellor again expressed her regret about the new US administration鈥檚 stance. 鈥淚t breaks one鈥檚 heart鈥� to see someone pull out 鈥渏ust like that,鈥� said Merkel and emphasised that she had spent all her life negotiating international climate agreements.
Yet, the US remained 鈥渁n important part of the G20鈥� and would receive 鈥渁 warm welcome, also from the German government,鈥� said Merkel.
Negotiations at the summit in July would be 鈥渄ifficult,鈥� Merkel said. 鈥淭here will be no communiqu茅 unless everybody approves. But I don鈥檛 want to pre-empt the negotiations. Our Sherpas [government negotiators] are working hard. But still 鈥� it remains a regrettable thing,鈥� said Merkel. The Paris Climate Agreement and the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development 鈥渘ow more than ever鈥� showed the right path to a low-carbon economy.
Government representatives in recent weeks said that bringing all G20 leaders to the table in Hamburg continued to be important, even with a consensus on climate by all seeming increasingly unlikely, as shown by the outcomes of the G7 summit in May and the G7 environment minister meeting in June. In both instances, all members except the United States reaffirmed their commitment to the Paris Agreement in the final communiqu茅, while the US opted out from the relevant provisions.
The German presidency had initiated a聽G20 action plan on climate and energy earlier this year, which it hopes to present at the summit in Hamburg. It remains to be seen if it can be part of the final communiqu茅.
Much applause for 鈥渃limate chancellor鈥� Merkel
German NGOs tend to criticise Merkel for her domestic energy policy, said Heike Spielmans, managing director of NGO umbrella organisation , which facilitates the C20 process.
This was evident as a group of Greenpeace activists hung a banner from the side of a raft on the Elbe River, stating, 鈥淐limate protection means coal exit, Ms Merkel,鈥� just as she arrived at the summit venue on the riverbank. Germany is on track to miss its own 2020 climate targets.
鈥淚f Merkel wants to counter the backward-looking energy policy by Trump, there鈥檚 no way around a coal exit,鈥� said Greenpeace Germany .
Yet, Merkel 鈥� who has been dubbed the 鈥�climate chancellor鈥� 鈥� received much applause at the summit in Hamburg. That鈥檚 because internationally, she remains highly regarded among climate activists, says Spielmans. 鈥淐ompared to other heads of government, she appears as a shining light.鈥�
[Find more information in the 威力彩玩法 factsheet The story of "Climate Chancellor" Angela Merkel and the interview with Greenpeace head Jennifer Morgan.]
