According to three reports, major fossil fuel producers such as Saudi Arabia and Russia on Friday opposed a plan to increase the G20’s renewable energy capacity by 2030.

The plan was also opposed by coal exporters South Africa and Indonesia as well as China, the world’s largest emitter of carbon dioxide. Two of the sources, who were present at the G20 meeting, claimed that India, which is now holding the G20 chair, took a neutral stance on the matter.

The other was informed of the discussions. All declined to give their names because the conversations were private.

Emails from Reuters requesting official comment were not immediately answered by India’s power or external affairs ministries.

Scientists believe that the world is currently seeing record-breaking heatwaves due to climate change brought on by the burning of fossil fuels.

According to the two sources who were present at the meeting, the G7 nations put forth the renewable targets at the G20 ministerial delegation conference in Goa, India, based on an IEA report.

One of those sources claimed that because natural gas is such an important component of Russia’s and Saudi Arabia’s energy mix, they refused to accept goals for boosting non-fossil capacity or timelines for adding renewable energy.

It was also contentious to address the creation of hydrogen, which many nations believe will make the switch from fossil fuels easier.

Instead of “green hydrogen,” some members wanted the term “low-carbon hydrogen” to be used, according to the sources.

While “low-carbon hydrogen” might also refer to hydrogen created using petrol, which has a lower carbon footprint than coal, green hydrogen is produced using renewable energy.

Energy ministers from the Group of 20 major economies clashed over the war in Ukraine while they were gathering for the final time before leaders adopted a statement in New Delhi in September.

According to the two officials who attended the meeting, after hours of discussion on the terminology used to describe the conflict, Russia—which refers to it as a special military operation—raised the subject of the attacks on the Nord Stream gas pipeline from Russia to Germany for the first time.

The European Union and the United States “sought to criticise Russia” in a conversation that started on Thursday and finished in the wee hours of Friday, according to one of the sources, and they also brought up the problem of energy instability as a result of the Ukraine war.

“Russia hit back saying global oil flows had shifted due to sanctions imposed by the West, and also sought an international enquiry into the sabotage of the pipeline,” the official said.

According to the three sources, the lack of agreement would likely prevent the meeting from ending on Saturday with a joint statement; instead, a summary outlining the key discussions and disputes would be released.

(Adapted from Reuters.com)

Categories: Economy & Finance, Geopolitics, Regulations & Legal, Strategy, Sustainability