G20 leaders fail to agree on phase-out date for fossil fuel subsidies

Climate change was high on the agenda as leaders of the world’s largest economies met for the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, China. But the communiqué released today once again lacks a deadline for when to phase out subsidies to the fossil fuel industry. Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe calls upon Germany, as next G20 chair and the EU as a whole to take necessary steps to both agree on a rapid phase out of subsidies globally and walk the talk in Europe.
The US and China’s ratification of the Paris Agreement ahead of the G20 paved the way for a positive outcome of the Summit. The communiqué released today solidified the announcement by the US and China to swiftly ratify the Paris Agreement, but once again leaves out an end date for when fossil fuel subsidies are to be phased out. …