The leading economic powers were unable to agree on ambitious common climate targets at their G20 summit in Rome, Italy on Sunday. The final declaration contains neither a specific target date for the important carbon dioxide neutrality nor for the phase-out from coal-fired power generation.
The outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel nevertheless rated the resolutions after her probably last G20 summit as a “good signal” for Glasgow. Climate protection activists, on the other hand, were disappointed by the attitude of the G20 states, which produce 80 percent of climate-damaging greenhouse gases. UN General Secretary António Guterres, who traveled on from the G20 to the climate summit on Sunday, tweeted: “I am leaving Rome with unfulfilled hopes – but at least they are not buried.”
Over the next two weeks, around 200 countries will fight in Glasgow to see how global warming can be contained to a tolerable level. The states’ previous plans are nowhere near enough to avert the impending climate catastrophe.
The earth has already warmed up by around 1.1 degrees compared to pre-industrial levels; in Germany it is already 1.6 degrees. In Paris, six years ago, the international community agreed to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees if possible.
In the summit declaration, the G20 only affirmed that it was still committed to the goals of the Paris Agreement. However, experts believe that a significant improvement in the action plans of the individual countries is necessary.
Merkel considered it a success that the “Group of 20” had for the first time since 2016 jointly committed to the Paris Agreement. Then US President Donald Trump left. His successor Joe Biden, who attended a regular G20 summit in Rome for the first time, reversed this step as one of his first official acts.
Before the climate conference, the Pope encouraged all states to do more climate protection. “Let us pray that the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor will be heard,” said Francis in front of numerous people in St. Peter’s Square in Rome.
G20 wants to strengthen vaccination campaigns in poor countries
The second big topic in Rome was fighting the pandemic. The G20 clearly supported the World Health Organization (WHO) goal of vaccinating 40 percent of the population in all countries by the end of the year and achieving a vaccination rate of 70 percent by mid-2022. The group of states wants to expand the supply of vaccines and remove delivery and financing obstacles, as stated in the summit declaration. The international Covax platform for the distribution of vaccines, which has not yet achieved its goals, should also be able to work more effectively.
The G20 countries also want to support local manufacturing capacities by promoting hubs for technology transfer in different regions. Newly established regional centers in South Africa, Brazil and Argentina are named. The document does not address the suspension of patents called for by G20 countries such as South Africa, India and China. While around 70 percent are already vaccinated in rich countries, the rate in poor countries is sometimes only three percent.
Rapid implementation of corporate taxation required
In Rome, Germany and the other leading economic powers also called for the reform of international corporate taxation to be implemented quickly. We call for the necessary regulations and instruments to be developed quickly, as stated in the final declaration. It is important to ensure that the reform can come into force in 2023.
The agreement on the global minimum tax and a new tax distribution mechanism is a “historic achievement” that will create a more stable and fairer international tax system. Merkel (CDU) called it “a clear signal of justice in the age of digitization”.
The main aim of the reform is to prevent corporate profits from shifting to tax havens. Large, internationally active companies should therefore pay at least 15 percent tax regardless of their headquarters by 2023 at the latest.
Merkel is bid farewell with roses – Scholz promises continuity
Merkel was bid farewell with a bouquet of roses at her last G20 summit. The only executive chancellor took part together with her likely successor, Olaf Scholz. The finance minister promised continuity in German foreign policy under a new government. Everyone knows that Germany “in the middle of the European Union with its population and economic power cannot stand on the edge and comment on the world”. Rather, it must make an active contribution «that this also works with a better Union in Europe».