News Analysis: Climate change, MH17 remain sticking points from productive G20
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E-mail Xinhua, November 17, 2014
As world leaders depart Brisbane following a successful but sometimes tense G20 summit, one unresolved issue will be accompanying them home like an unwanted piece of excess baggage.
Climate change dominated discussions at the two-day weekend summit but several countries, including the United States and Japan, remain at loggerheads with Australia over its refusal to commit to the Green Climate Fund. This issue clouded what was otherwise a productive gathering.
An EU spokesperson likened dealing with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott over climate change issues as "trench warfare. " Other officials have since described it as "very difficult" and "protracted."
Whereas U.S. president Barack Obama used the forum to announce a 3-billion-U.S. dollar contribution to the fund, a UN-run cause that helps poor countries cope with the effects of climate change, Australia was staunch in its opposition.
Even despite a push from the United States, as well as European and Asian leaders, for a larger focus on climate issues, Abbott refused to concede much ground on his stance.
The Australian leader even went as far as requesting that the Green Climate Fund be abolished, despite Obama's hefty pledge and a 1.5-billion-U.S. dollar commitment from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Instead, as he indicated to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Abbott said his country's 2-billion-U.S. dollar Direct Action proposal matched what other nations were spending on the Green Climate Fund.
Australia's Direct Action plan, which began in July, offers incentives for renowned polluters, especially big business, to reduce emissions.
"We also have a Clean Energy Finance Corporation which was established by the former government and there is 8.7 billion U.S. dollars in capital which has been allocated to this," Abbott said over the weekend.
"In addition to those two funds, a proportion of our overseas aid, particularly in the Pacific, is allocated for various environmental schemes including schemes to deal with climate change."
But, clearly frustrated by Abbott's defiance, Obama used his parting speech on Sunday afternoon to plead with Australia to act on climate change.
"The United States and Australia have a lot in common and one of the things we have in common is we produce a lot of carbon," Obama said.
"Historically, we have not been the most energy efficient nations, which means we've got to step up."
Reports within the local media had circulated throughout the weekend that Abbott was on the verge of blatantly refusing to discuss climate matters. Comments from certain government spokespeople did little to dispel those fears.
However, the Australian premier moved quickly to reject that speculation, insisting he had held robust discussions on the issue during the two days.
"It's certainly been a harmonious, constructive and collegial process and not only was the communique drafting process constructive and collegial, but the discussion in the room today was very constructive and collegial," Abbott said.
"I'm sure different people had different emphases, but all of us want to take strong and effective action against climate change and all of us want to do that in ways which build our growth and particularly strengthen our employment, because in the end that's what it's all about."
Elsewhere, important global topics, such as job growth and gender equality, as well as health matters including stemming the spread of Ebola, took center stage at the summit. As did the thorny and sensitive issue of the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 on July 17.
The subsequent discussions regarding the catastrophe, which killed 298 people, brought several leaders, including Abbott and Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper, into conflict with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Overall, the G20 leaders agreed on more than 800 reform measures, which a drafted communique revealed will hope to achieve a 2.1-percent increase in global growth over the next five years.
Included in the three-page document was also a plan to unshackle the private sector and subsequently bridge the gap in the male-female labour force by 25 percent.
"This has the potential to bring 100 million women into the global workforce," Abbott said. "It's an extraordinary achievement if we can deliver on this, but it is a clear aspiration and it is an achievable, accountable goal."
Quelling outbreaks of Ebola in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone was also of deep concern to the G20 leaders, who identified practical measures of coping with the disease.
Australia concluded the two-day summit by passing the baton to Turkey, where the event will be held next year.
While analyzing the summit's long-term success may still be difficult before the next time G20 leaders meet, most of the key players left on amicable terms.
Abbott would bid farewell to Putin on Sunday by sharing a friendly, if slightly uncomfortable handshake before a throng of cameras. But the pair's embrace reflected the sometimes prickly nature of the summit: an unconvincing attempt to disguise what were clear divisions under the surface. Endi
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