As global leaders convene in New Delhi for the Group of 20 (G20) Summit, data underscores that a significant portion of the group continues to exhibit elevated per capita coal power emissions. While countries at the summit have committed to “further efforts” in limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius and to triple renewable energy capacity, the G20 New Delhi Leaders Declaration conspicuously lacks new commitments regarding the phase-down of coal power or all fossil fuels.
At the previous year’s Bali summit, G20 nations had reached a consensus on “accelerating efforts towards the phasedown of unabated coal power,” accounting for national circumstances and the imperative for equitable transitions.
India, although witnessing a 29% increase in per capita coal emissions over the last seven years, does not hold the worst record in this regard. An analysis by global energy think tank Ember reveals that Australia and South Korea ranked as the top two coal power emitters per capita among G20 members in 2022, a position they’ve held since 2020.
Fossil fuel phasedown discussions have been a contentious issue in ancillary meetings preceding the summit. G20 countries, responsible for a substantial portion of the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and power sector emissions, failed to reach a consensus earlier this year during energy and climate ministers’ meetings regarding the reduction of unabated fossil fuel use, as reported by climate advocacy non-governmental organization Climate Trends in a July press release.
Madhura Joshi, India Lead for climate think-tank E3G, emphasized that merely echoing language from the previous G20 summit about coal phase-down does little to effect change. She underscored that an emphasis on increasing renewables must be complemented by a concurrent reduction in fossil fuels, both of which are indispensable for equitable transitions and achieving a net-zero world.
In contrast, the Group of 7 (G7) nations, which includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, had previously committed to expediting the phase-out of fossil fuels, albeit without specifying a timeline.
Per Capita Emissions Across G20 Nations
Ember’s data reveals that per capita coal power emissions have diminished in over half of the G20 economies. The United Kingdom witnessed the most significant reduction, with a staggering 93% decline in coal power emissions per capita over the past seven years, considerably below the global average. This positive trend was also observed in France (-63%), Italy (-50%), and Brazil (-42%).
However, despite notable reductions in emissions, Australia and South Korea continue to emit over three times the global average for coal power emissions and more than double the G20 average. Their per capita coal emissions decreased by 26% and 10%, respectively, since 2015, primarily due to increased clean power generation. Nevertheless, these reductions were insufficient to significantly alter their rankings or align them closer to the global average.
The persistent reliance on coal power led to Australia emitting over 4 tonnes of carbon dioxide (tCO2) per person and South Korea emitting over 3 tCO2 per person in 2022. This contrasts starkly with the global average of 1.1 tCO2 per person.
Several G20 countries with substantial dependence on coal power experienced per capita emission increases in the last seven years. Notable instances include Indonesia (+56%), Türkiye (+41%), China (+30%), and India (+29%). These increases resulted from surging demand outpacing the growth of clean energy generation.
Growing Public Support for Fossil Fuels in G20 Nations
At the Bali summit in 2022, G20 nations committed to “phase out and rationalize inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption.” The New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration reaffirms this commitment.
However, a study by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), published in August 2023, revealed that G20 members provided an unprecedented $1.4 trillion in public funds to support fossil fuels in 2022. This sum encompasses fossil fuel subsidies ($1 trillion), investments by state-owned enterprises ($322 billion), and lending from public financial institutions ($50 trillion), effectively doubling the 2019 figures.
Notably, India has made substantial progress in this regard, reducing fossil fuel subsidies by 76% from 2014 to 2022 while significantly increasing support for clean energy, as indicated by the IISD report.
Tara Laan, Senior Associate at IISD and lead author of the study, emphasized the importance of these figures, underscoring the massive influx of public funds into fossil fuels despite the increasingly dire consequences of climate change. She called upon the G20 to prioritize discussions on fossil fuel subsidies during the Delhi Leaders’ Summit and to take decisive actions aimed at eliminating all public financial flows directed towards coal, oil, and gas.