On Friday, September 8, United Nations (UN) General Secretary, Antonio Guterres, said that India’s G20 presidency will lead to the kind of transformative changes that the world needs. Ahead of the G20 Summit to be held on 9 and 10 September, 2023, in the national capital, New Delhi, Guterres added that India has done everything possible for the full representation of the Global South at the G20 Summit.
Speaking with the media, Guterres expressed, ‘My hope is that India’s presidency at the G20 Summit will help lead to the kind of transformative change that the world so desperately needs in line with repeated commitment of India to act on behalf of the Global South and its determination to pursue the development agenda.’
Other than the G20 members comprising 19 leading countries and the European Union (EU), India as the Chair of G20 has specially invited a number of developing countries, referred to as the Global South, to the G20 Summit, including the Prime Ministers of Mauritius, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Oman, etc. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday, held bilateral meetings with PMs Pravind Jugnauth of Mauritius and Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh.
Speaking further, Guterres said, ‘If we are one global family, we today resemble rather a dysfunctional one. Divisions are growing, tensions are flaring up and trust is eroding.’
The theme of the year’s summit set by India is ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ – One Earth, One Family, One Future.
Talking about the climate and how 80 percent of the global emissions come from the G20 countries, the UN Chief stated, ‘The climate crisis is spiralling out of control, but G20 countries are in control. Together, G20 countries are responsible for 80 percent of global emissions. Half measures will not prevent full climate breakdown. We have no time to lose, challenges stretch as far as I can see. The climate crisis is worsening dramatically but the collective response is lacking in ambition, credibility and urgency.’
Alerting the developed countries as well, Guterres remarked, ‘The developed countries within the G20 should show leadership by delivering on commitments to developing countries, by meeting the USD 100 billion goal, doubling adaptation finance, replenishing Green Climate Fund and operationalising the loss and damage fund created in the last Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).’
Guterres also urged the G20 leaders to keep the 1.5 degrees Celsius goal alive, rebuild trust based on climate justice, advance just and equitable transition through a green economy, and appealed to the big emitters to make extra efforts to cut emissions and support emerging economies to achieve these.
He said that the developed countries should reach net zero by 2040 and the emerging economies by 2050. OECD countries should phase out coal by 2030 and the others by 2040.
‘All I can say that I believe that we need reform in multilateral system to reflect today’s world. There is a need to do it but I am not sure if we get it, but I think it is urgent.’, Guterres added.
