In spite of acknowledging climate-energy relations, the recently concluded G20 Summit, chaired by Italy and held in the southern city of Naples, showed deficiencies on these two pivotal aspects to fight climate change.

While 15 nations with economies less dependent on oil pressed to reach a convergence on both issues (climate and energy), other five agreed on the need to move on in the pursuit of those longer-term goals, the Italian Head of Ecological Transition Roberto Cingolani said.

Lacking commitment, participants decided to transfer the decision on these two items to next 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), which will be held from November 1 to 12, in Glasgow, Scotland.

In a press conference at the end of the summit, Minister Cingolani stressed that in spite of disagreements about timing to meet these two goals, all G20 members ratified their adherence to the Paris Agreement.

We think we can be absolutely happy and satisfied, and acknowledged that prior to the meeting ‘we did not have all this optimism’, because ‘there seemed to be higher barriers.’

We reached an agreement that I consider unprecedented because the G20 accepted for the first time that climate and energy policy are closely linked, he said, while praising the approach and commitments included in the final communiqué.

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