Report by Nawaz Arain, for www. asiacommune.org @ Press Club Karachi,.
Rallies held Governor House Choak to end Karachi Press Club
Speaking to Protester Saeed Baloch General Secretary Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum said “We demand that the G20 governments commit to bolder measures to address the multiple crises, including mobilizing much-needed resources through inclusive debt cancellation, adoption of wealth taxes for spending on urgent economic and climate action, and the rechanneling of public funds away from fossil fuel subsidies towards renewable energy systems,”
G20 countries together contribute to 75% of global trade and almost 85% of the world’s GDP. These countries also account for 80% of world power sector emissions, with per capita CO2 from coal power at 1.6 tons in 2022, up from 1.5 tons in 2015 and significantly higher than a global average of 1.1 tons.
The two-day summit, hosted by India in New Delhi on September 9 and 10 will discuss pressing global issues, including climate change, clean energy transition, and tackling poverty. The meeting will bring together leaders of the 20 member states and delegates from 40 countries.
Saeed Baloch reiterated the long standing call for the G20 to undertake a rapid, just and equitable transition to renewable energy systems: “In the face of the climate emergency, there is no more space or time to delay the fossil fuel phase out with continued subsidies and with false solutions. We reject any agreement to abate or extend the life of fossil fuels projects with carbon offsets, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies, ammonia co-firing or promoting gas as transition fuel. It would be reckless irresponsibility and utter disregard for science and the welfare of people and the planet.”
Fatima Majeed Vice Chairperson said According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), tripling renewable energy capacity (RE) by 2030 is crucial to achieving the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping below 1.5C of global warming. But a G20 commitment to triple RE capacity by 2030 failed to get an agreement due to issues of financing, accessibility and technology.
HRCP Co Chairperson Asad Iqbal Butt said Under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, developed country governments are obliged to deliver Climate Finance for developing countries. There is a long standing pledge of $100 billion a year Climate Finance but this, climate campaigners say, is a miniscule amount compared to the scale of climate finance obligations. Despite this pledge, five countries do not even deliver their fair share contribution to the $100 billion.
“The Global South needs and is justly entitled to way more than $100 billion per year in climate finance based on equity and fair shares. The developed country governments among the G20 that are responsible for excessive levels of historical and continuing greenhouse gas emissions have an obligation to pay reparations for the losses and damages suffered and faced by those in the Global South, the least responsible for the climate crisis,” said Asad Iqbal Butt
“We urge G20 governments to cancel the debt for all countries facing a debt crisis, including public debts of a questionable and fraudulent nature that violated human rights and contributed to exacerbating the climate crisis,” said Talib Kuchi PFF Secretary Karachi
To thank all participants Majeed Motani said
Protest actions were held in key cities in six Asian countries today ahead of the 2023 summit of leaders from the Group of 20 (G20) major economies. Rallies were held in Manila , Jakarta, Dhaka, Kathmandu, Karachi, Lahore and Colombo.
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