G20 Ministers Recommit to Paris Temperature Goal, Swift GBF Implementation

The Group of 20 (G20) Ministers of Environment and Climate have reaffirmed their commitment to scale up urgent action to address climate change, biodiversity loss, desertification, ocean and land degradation, drought, and pollution. They have also recommitted to the full and effective implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change and its temperature goal, “reflecting equity and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in light of different national circumstances.”

In a ministerial declaration, the ministers pledge their support to the Presidencies of the 2023, 2024, and 2025 UN Climate Change Conferences (UNFCCC COP 28, COP 29, and COP 30) to significantly enhance international cooperation to stimulate ambition in the next round of nationally determined contributions (NDCs), for strengthened action and implementation this decade.

The ministers reaffirm the commitment to the swift, full, and effective implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and stress the importance of updating or revising national biodiversity strategies and action plans (NBSAPs) in alignment with the GBF’s goals and targets by the 2024 UN Biodiversity Conference later this month.

The ministers welcome the Brazilian Presidency’s priorities that recognize interlinkages among adaptation to climate change, oceans, payment for ecosystem services (PES), and waste and circular economy, highlighting “the multiple and significant environmental and climate benefits that can result from our decisive and collective action in each of these areas.”

United in their commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its SDGs, the ministers outline their shared views on these priorities.

On oceans, the ministers are dedicated to conserving, restoring, and sustainably using marine and coastal ecosystems with the goal of advancing “a just and sustainable blue/ocean-based economy, while supporting the resilience of communities and enhancing [their] understanding of the cumulative impacts of human activities on marine ecosystems.” They acknowledge the importance of including ocean and coastal-related actions in NDCs and NBSAPs, among other national climate and biodiversity plans.

On PES, the ministers “encourage incorporating the value of the wide range of ecosystem services, opportunity costs and negative externalities into decision making, as appropriate.” They also state they “will consider” efforts to mainstream natural capital accounting, along with innovative economic tools, such as PES, to support efforts to conserve, restore, and sustainably use natural resources.

On enhancing adaptation action and finance in the context of climate change, the ministers commit to scaling up all types of adaptation action, acknowledging that adaptation action contributes to sustainable development and poverty eradication. Among others, they resolve to explore ways of increasing financing for adaptation, in particular from public sources, and to consider developing a dedicated framework or a platform for private investment for adaptation.

On waste and circular economy, the ministers reaffirm their commitment to significantly reduce the generation of waste through zero waste and other initiatives while prioritizing the prevention and, where not possible, the reduction, reuse, and recycling of waste in support of a circular economy. They acknowledge that addressing plastic pollution is critical and pledge further engagement and cooperation in sharing scientific knowledge, monitoring and measuring marine plastic litter, including microplastics and their impact, and other initiatives, “without prejudice to the ongoing negotiations.”

The G20 Ministers of Environment and Climate met in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on 3 October 2024. At the G20 Summit in November, the Heads of State and Government are expected to endorse some of the key outcomes achieved by the ministers. [G20 Brazil 2024: Sherpa Track Documents]