G20 agree on reaffirming commitment towards 2016 climate change deal

At the G20 meeting in Buenos Aires, most countries reaffirmed their commitment to the landmark 2016 Paris Agreement on tackling climate change. They declared the accord “irreversible” and committed to its “full implementation.” 

The US, however, said it was committed to withdrawing from the Paris Agreement and “affirms its strong commitment to economic growth and energy access and security.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday said world leaders at the G20 summit would sign a climate change deal similar to that signed in Argentina last year.

“We will have a similar text to Argentina. A 19+1 declaration,” Merkel told reporters on the sidelines of a G20 meeting in Osaka.

Merkel said the US accepted the other 19 members’ determination to fight climate change, but would not be committing themselves.

“In our view, climate change will determine the destiny of mankind, so it is imperative that our generation makes the right choices,” said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at a news conference with his French counterpart and UN Secretary- General Antonio Guterres following climate change talks.