G20 leaders defy Donald Trump with climate declaration as Anthony Albanese defends coal and gas
Anthony Albanese and world leaders have issued a consensus declaration backing the Paris Agreement and trillions in climate spending despite Donald Trump’s opposition.
Anthony Albanese and other world leaders have defied Donald Trump and issued a consensus declaration at the G20 in Johannesburg, backing the Paris Agreement, free trade, multilateral frameworks and the need to spend “trillions” on reaching climate change goals.
The statement at the first G20 in Africa was agreed to by leaders at the summit despite the Trump administration arguing against one being released, after the US President boycotted the event over widely disputed claims the South African government was persecuting white farmers.
The statement was endorsed by all G20 members except for the US and it was full of rhetoric that is at odds with the policies of Mr Trump, including the need to take strong action on climate change to meet “net zero” by close to 2050.
The developments at the 20th G20 came as the Prime Minister said there would be no change in Australia’s coal and gas policies, despite endorsing a pledge at COP30 in Brazil to phase out fossil fuels “consistent with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5C”.
With G20 leaders noting that economic development was essential for the 600 million Africans who do not have access to electricity, the consensus statement recognised wealthy nations would need to play a larger role in helping poorer countries lower their emissions.
The statement said $US5.8-5.9 trillion of investment would be needed for developing nations to meet emission reduction targets over the next five years.
“We will work towards facilitating low-cost financing for them, including through concessional finance and innovative financing,” the statement said.
The G20 leaders’ statement backed by China, Russia and India vowed to “intensify our efforts” to reach “carbon neutrality by or around mid-century”.
The G20 leaders endorsed a goal to triple the world’s renewable energy generation by 2030.
“We recognise the need for increased global investments to meet our climate goals of the Paris Agreement and to rapidly and substantially scale up investment and climate finance from billions to trillions globally from all sources,” the statement said.
“In this regard, it is essential to align all relevant financial flows with these objectives.”
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who was strongly criticised by the Trump administration in the lead-up to the event, revealed at the beginning of Saturday’s G20 meeting that a leaders’ declaration had been unanimously endorsed by member nations.
This was despite Mr Albanese a day earlier suggesting a chair’s statement from South Africa may be released instead of a leaders’ declaration backed by all members attending the summit.
While the leaders of China, Russia and Argentina were not at the summit, their representatives in Johannesburg backed the leaders’ statement.
Next year’s G20 is scheduled to be hosted by Mr Trump in Miami.
Mr Albanese said it was a “good thing” a consensus statement was released. “It’s about what the world has committed to – the Paris Agreement and to action on climate change,” he said.
“There is overwhelming support for action on climate change. People are very conscious of the fact that the increase in extreme weather events, the impact of climate change, is here right now.”
Mr Albanese denied that G20 nations were using the statement as a protest against Mr Trump’s agenda. “The communique is signed … by all of the countries who are participating here. And Australia, as a sovereign state, makes decisions based upon our own national interest,” he said.
The only mention of Ukraine in the G20 leaders’ declaration was part of a broader paragraph wishing for “lasting peace” in regions of war. “We will work for a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Ukraine, as well as ending other conflicts and wars around the globe,” it said.
“All states must refrain from the threat or use of force to seek territorial acquisition against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state.”
The statement also backed the need for wealthy nations to help developing countries address high debt; “urgent and advanced action” to help developing nations prepare for extreme weather events; and more investment to increase critical minerals supply.
In his two days on the ground in Johannesburg, Mr Albanese held bilateral meetings with the leaders of G20 members and guest nations, including Mr Ramaphosa, EU president Ursula von der Leyen, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin, Finish President Alexander Stubb and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
He also met with the leaders of MIKTA nations comprising Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea and Turkey.
Mr Albanese used his meetings with the EU and India to progress free-trade deals, while striking a trilateral technology and innovation partnership with India and Canada.
While there was a focus on bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the G20, the leaders’ statement strongly backed the need for multilateral frameworks despite the hostility shown towards them by Mr Trump.
“In the face of this challenging political and socio-economic environment, we underscore our belief in multilateral co-operation to collectively address shared challenges,” it said.
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