Russia singled out. France questioned this Sunday the responsibility of the country in the absence of agreement on a timetable allowing the gradual reduction of the use of fossil fuels (oil, gas, coal) during the meeting in India of the energy ministers of the G20 countries.
Their final statement published on Saturday refers to disagreements between members on the future of fossil fuels and does not even mention coal, one of the biggest contributors to global warming, yet now cited in COP and G7 decisions.
“An urgent exit from fossil fuels” demanded
“I deeply regret that there was no joint declaration at the end of this meeting, particularly because of Russia,” said Agnès Pannier-Runacher, the French Minister for Energy Transition, on Sunday.
France is part of a coalition of 18 countries which calls for “an urgent exit from fossil fuels” and “a peak in greenhouse gases by 2025”, judging that “humanity cannot afford to wait”.
The French minister believes that “awareness and mobilization must be intensified in view of COP28”, while global temperatures are reaching record highs, boosting heat waves, floods and fires.