G20: A Call To Action For Climate Change, But Will It Be Enough?

A very apt slogan at the G20 Conference in Delhi, which caught my attention was - ‘One Sun, One World, One Grid’, to create energy security. About 70 odd declarations emerged at this conference, through 200 odd meetings at 56 locations, across 28 states, and 8 union territories. This conference promoted several inclusive, ambitious, and action-oriented tasks, to achieve sustainable development goals, and protect the planet as one earth.

United Nations’ assessment of 140 SDG targets shows that by 2023, 12 per cent were on track, about 50 per cent had shown little progress and were therefore quite off track, while 30 per cent had not moved, or slid below the 2015 status. Shows we have a long way to go.

Notably, global trade has been severely affected in the last few years, and hence G20 needs to identify the supply lines for deficit countries, from surplus countries, through a digitised mechanism. Shortage areas would raise red flags on the portal, and the surplus locales could then transfer the required goods, to ensure that the global supply chain is not distressed, and goods are made available to all, timely, through ease of logistics and financing. To ensure better access to goods and services in all continents, the G20 forum can incentivise better shipping, rail, air and road logistics.

G20 ministers responsible for trade and investment met in August 2023 in Jaipur and emphasised a “rule-based, non-discriminatory fair, open, equitable and transparent WTO” so that global trade resilience is ensured, and poverty and inequality are not accentuated. Succinctly, the idea was to foster a favourable trade and investment environment for all. Global value chains (GVCs) are complex, and disruption at any point can have implications down the line. Hence, G20 recognised the need for the participation of developing countries, to move up in their GVCs.

Global tourism has been disrupted in the last few years since Covid-19. My idea is that G20 highlights the need for each country, to identify the ten most scenically beautiful places, and upload them on a global tourism portal. At present, no such system exists internationally and each country is resorting to advertising its tourism resources but is hardly ever able to reach all those who demand it, across the globe. Digitisation can incentivise all countries to become a part of the global tourism map, with simultaneous disclosure of its best tourism spots. G20 could usher in one family concept by effectively promoting such a tool, to enable all countries to reach the international target audience.

The G20 development ministers met in Varanasi in June 2023 and underscored the crucial role of tourism in achieving sustainable socio-economic development and prosperity, and endorsed the Goa roadmap for tourism, and the launch of “Travel for LiFE”, through the development of smart destinations. The highlighted theme for tourism was to advance sustainability in infrastructure and operations, support biodiversity conservation, promote climate-friendly tourism and protect and engage residents and vulnerable groups.

Global medical innovations suffered enormously during Covid, and hence post-Covid, I strongly feel that India should invite the best medical minds to brainstorm on how to tackle and cure major diseases like Cancer, organ failures and transplantation, Alzheimer’s, Dementia etc. through stem cell research, medical devices innovation, and cutting-edge nanotechnologies including robotics, and make it available throughout the world.

The G20 health ministers met in August 2023 in Gandhinagar and agreed to strengthen the global health architecture. Health emergencies and their timely prevention, preparedness, and response were crucial. Cooperation in the pharma sector through better availability and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable medication, including vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics. Digital health innovations and solutions to achieve universal health coverage and better healthcare service delivery were introduced. 

Medical research and development, the creation of an adequate health workforce, and the integration of interoperable digital health solutions were emphasised. While designing health systems, the need to incorporate a gender perspective, with special reference to women and girl children, was recognised, and primary healthcare strengthening was underlined. A legally binding WHO convention was envisaged by 2024, which includes the amendments to the international health regulations, and maintenance of sovereignty and responsibility of the member states, for their health systems. 

Strengthening of existing infectious disease surveillance systems and addressing the link between climate change and health was imperative. The potential of traditional systems of medicine was huge, provided they were rigorously and scientifically validated, and met the WHO strategy of being safe and effective. WHO’s efforts to establish the global digital health strategy for 2020-25 were reaffirmed by all.

Women and Children is a deprived global group in many countries. G20, I believe, must think and act responsibly for their food, clothing, shelter, sanitation, health, and education. Raising the standard of living of women and children on Mother Earth requires enormous and special attention from heads of state, corporations, universities, trusts, hospitals and other sizable establishments.

The G20 Action Plan of 2023, envisaged a paradigm shift in the role of women as active members of society, and positive change agents. The idea was to ensure women’s “full, equal, effective, and meaningful participation as decision-makers for addressing global challenges”, is always recognized and facilitated. Denial of rights and equal opportunities to women and girls, irrespective of their age, race, origin, ethnicity, religion or socio-economic status, is a crime. Gender-based violence and abuse must be stopped, and equal access to quality and safe education, digital and health resources, and social protection needs to be effectively provided.

Environmental protection and climate change are global issues demanding immediate attention as rapid urbanisation in most countries, is affecting the flora and fauna, very substantially. I strongly believe that G20 can resolve that the two primary free public goods, namely clean water and air, are never compromised by anyone, big or small. The polluters pay principle is paramount in today’s world, and strict vigil by all pollution-controlling authorities in each town of the globe is imperative to protect our environment, holistically. 

Seven types of waste are generated by humankind daily, namely solid, hazardous, electronic, bio-medical, construction and demolition, agricultural, and household waste hence, professional waste disposal systems are required in all municipalities of the world and must be provided without any delays. Best technological minds are required to create cost-efficient and locally effective waste management techniques, to prevent the population from getting affected in any way. G20, to my mind, has a monumental role in developing and disseminating such technologies worldwide.

Climate change is bothering every country today through an upsurge in natural calamities. Seven billion plus population on earth cannot survive at the rate at which trees are being felled daily. G20 must initiate an action plan for planting and nurturing one tree per person, and hence planting seven billion trees annually so that the supply of natural oxygen never falls short of demand. For the less fortunate least developed countries, the G20 must also take a lead and muster climate change financing, adequately and expeditiously. The G20 OECD report on financing cities for tomorrow focuses on inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities.

The G20 environment and climate ministers met in July 2023 in Chennai to accelerate action to address environmental crises and challenges relating to climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, desertification, deforestation, water quality access, land and ocean degradation etc. “Paris Agreement goals, the 2030 mission of Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and 2050 vision of living in harmony with nature” were highlighted. The need to keep the temperature goal as per the Paris Agreement, at a tolerable increase of 1.5 degrees celsius above pre-industrial levels, was accepted as the best available responsible task. Support to developing countries, to enable urgent climate action, and mobilising USD 100 billion in climate finance annually up to 2025 was agreed. 

By 2030, all efforts to restore 30 per cent of “degraded terrestrial, inland water, and marine and coastal ecosystems” and “feasible and appropriate forest fire/wildfire impacted areas, and mining degraded lands” are urgent. A new international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity is significant. International Seabed Authority (ISA) engagement in the “development of a clear, robust, and effective regulatory framework on deep seabed mineral exploitation”, to ensure effective protection of the marine environment was accepted. For declining water quality supply globally, global cooperation on water, as per the UN 2023 Water Conference needs immediate attention.

Tertiary education and its infrastructure is scant in more than 100 nations of the world, while at least 100 global universities in G20 have large fund banks and Corpuses, and huge surpluses are getting generated annually. My idea is that G20 should motivate each of these top universities in G20 countries, to choose a developing country location and create new campuses there, to provide universal and quality education, at affordable prices in these countries.

The G20 education ministers met in June 2023 in Pune and underlined the critical role of quality education in enabling human dignity and empowerment, equity and equality. Increased enrolment in schools, the importance of foundational learning, and particular attention to children with disabilities were highlighted to support SDG 4. The transformative potential of digital technologies for providing inclusive, equitable, and accessible quality education was reaffirmed. 

Promoting collaboration among higher education institutions of G20 States with developing countries was underlined. Consensus was reached on the expansion of access to high-quality technical and vocational training, and the promotion of scientific cooperation and lifelong learning, especially for vulnerable and marginalised groups. The need for keeping pace with emerging trends and technological advances including AI, was urgently felt. 

The importance of lifelong focus on skilling, re-skilling, and up-skilling was stressed and the acquisition of digital skills, environmental literacy, financial skills, cognitive skills, citizenship skills, socio-emotional skills, and entrepreneurial skills using STEM competencies, to adapt to a technology-based future. Integration of 3 sides of the knowledge triangle- education, research, and innovation- was imperative. Prime Minister called Education “the architect of humanity’s future”.

G20 Entails Enormous Scope:

One Earth, or a green development pact for a sustainable future, which meets the basic needs of the global citizen. One Family, in terms of maximising synergies and minimising trade-offs, between internationally agreed agendas. Finally, One Future, which prioritises meeting the developmental challenges through reinvigorating a more inclusive multilateralism and reform agenda, by 2030.

I am aware that I have not touched many areas like agriculture etc but the leading lights of global interaction, coordinated action, cohesion, and unison, have been covered comprehensively. What remains to be seen is how far and how fast, will these milestones be reached.

J K Dadoo

Guest Author J K Dadoo is a retired IAS official