India Assumes G20 Presidency for 2023
As India began its year-long G20 presidency on Thursday, PM Narendra Modi called for greater international cooperation to deal with the challenges of "climate change, terrorism, and pandemics."
Facts
- As India began its year-long G20 presidency on Thursday, PM Narendra Modi called for greater international cooperation to deal with the challenges of "climate change, terrorism, and pandemics."
- Placing climate at the top of next year's priorities, the country reportedly plans to find alternative means to raise climate finance, help push forward the initiative's conversation, and limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5°.
- India, the world's second-biggest consumer of coal, has also pledged to prioritize a phased transition to cleaner fuels and to cut emissions to net zero by 2070 in order to meet its decarbonization goal.
- Some of the forum's wealthiest nations have yet to fulfil a long-standing promise to provide $100B a year in climate financing to help developing countries cope with climate change.
- Looking to become "the voice of the Global South," India is expected to encourage those countries to fulfil these funding pledges.
- India, taking over from Indonesia, is expected to run more than 200 meetings across approximately 50 cities in the lead-up to next year's summit, which will be held in New Delhi. In addition to addressing climate change, Modi also called for international cooperation to deal with other challenges, such as geopolitical tensions and the war in Ukraine.
Sources: Al Jazeera, CTV, CNN, Nature, and Yahoo.
Narratives
- Narrative A, as provided by Financial Express. This is a moment to celebrate as India takes the lead to ensure rich industrialized nations and emerging economies combat global warming through collective action. The G20 presidency is India’s definitive moment, providing the Asian country with an opportunity to reshape the debate on some of the burning issues of climate change.
- Narrative B, as provided by Al Jazeera. As many nations have exhausted their efforts combatting a slew of global crises, from geopolitical insecurities to economic collapse, they have little room left to prioritize climate goals. There needs to be a conscious effort to ensure a level playing field in the G20's next term and not allow climate initiatives — while important — to overshadow other pertinent challenges.
