According to sources and drafts of the text, Group of 20 (G20) negotiators are in dispute over the wording of a summit communiqué on combating climate change, with the United States pushing to downgrade the language against European opposition.
The arguments are a reprise of tussles over global warming that have stymied talks in multilateral forums since United States President Donald Trump pulled the US out of a landmark agreement to limit the effects of climate change.
The latest draft, seen by Reuters Newsagency, includes language supporting implementation of the 2015 United Nations sponsored Paris Agreement, and saying the accord signed by 200 nations is “irreversible”.
An earlier draft, also seen by Reuters, did not include such language at the insistence of the US, two sources familiar with the discussions over the communiqué told Reuters.
Further changes to the communiqué are likely before the final adoption of the text on Saturday by G20 leaders in Osaka for this week’s summit.
Reuters reports the inclusion of stronger language came as French President Emmanuel Macron said France would not accept a text that does not mention the Paris Agreement.
“If we don’t talk about the Paris Agreement and if we don’t get an agreement on it amongst the 20 members in the room, we are no longer capable of defending our climate change goals and France will not be part of this,” he said in Tokyo before heading to Osaka.
France was one of the main drivers behind the Paris accord and the French parliament is now debating an energy bill that targets net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
“Negotiations on the topic of climate will be especially difficult this time,” a German government official said.
Nations in Paris agreed to limit the global average rise from pre-industrial temperatures to well below two degrees Celsius.
Current policies, though, put the world on track for at least a 3.0°C rise by the end of the century, according to a UN report in 2016.
Investors managing more than US$34 trillion in assets, nearly half the world’s invested capital, piled pressure on G20 leaders on Wednesday, demanding urgent action from governments on climate change.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday also urged G20 countries to back more ambitious climate goals, among other international initiatives.
Summit host Japan has been criticised for backing the continued use of coal for power generation, one of the biggest sources of gas emissions that cause global warming.
G20 leaders, including Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison, will meet on Friday and Saturday.
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