G20 Energy Transition: 1 step ahead for India, 2 back on climate action

The recently concluded Energy Transition ministerial meeting under India’s G20 Presidency failed to find a consensus on phasing down fossil fuels, clean energy technology and energy transition pathways.

For India, the language around hydrogen, fossil fuel and its abatement furthers its own energy transition plans.

Several climate experts and G20 observers, however, said the outcome statement goes away from climate commitments made in the Paris Climate Summit and Bali Energy Transition Roadmap released last year.

Several government officials and R K Singh, the power minister, emphasised the outcome of G20 sets the tone for the upcoming COP28 where India will be the voice of the demands of the Global South.

“We had a complete agreement on 22 out of 29 paragraphs, with 7 included in the chair summary. We felt that access to energy is a major aspect to be looked at by the world community,” Singh said in the post ministerial press conference.

“On several fronts, India’s stand has been reflected showing that our transition efforts have global recognition. India's push to have fossil fuels included in the phase out rather than just coal is also being acknowledged by other nations. Then low/zero emission hydrogen is something that India is pursuing already. It is a win for us,” said a senior official who was part of the deliberations panel.

India has set an ambitious plan for green hydrogen deployment. It is also looking to balance usages of coal and renewable energy with neither taking over another in the medium term. 

The ‘High Level Voluntary Principles on Hydrogen’ drafted by India was made part of the Outcome Document of the Energy Transition Ministerial.

It called for free and fair trade of hydrogen produced from zero and low emission technologies and its derivatives such as ammonia in line with WTO rules.

Low emissions would mean hydrogen produced using gas and coal would also be considered.

There was no consensus on the language on fossil fuels.

It is learnt that Saudi Arabia, South Africa and France opposed for phase out of unabated fossil fuels.

The chair summary has highlighted all arguments on dirty fuels.

The summary emphasised on the importance of phasing down of unabated fossil fuels and the use of different approaches to manage emissions from the fossil fuel sector.

The summary underlined emerging technologies such as electrolyzers, carbon capture and storage, fuel cells, battery storage, biofuels, as well as, small modular reactors (SMRs) as tools of energy transition.

Additionally, the summary also diluted the proposition of tripling renewable energy capacity and had made it clean energy technologies.

“The highly contentious negotiations show how the stakes to deliver on Paris targets are becoming increasingly fraught with national interests. Some countries with large fossil fuel interests have pushed to maximise false solutions even whilst aiming for net zero goals," Aarti Khosla, director, Climate Trends said.

 She, however, added India was a fair broker and the outcome is reflecting the spectrum of geopolitical interests.

The ministerial concluded with no joint communiqué. 

India has issued a chair summary, which has suggestions of all member nations.

It is issued when a consensus is not achieved.

An outcome document was also put out which summarised the various positions which were noted by the G20 and would require further work by member nations.

hits & misses

Consensus

• Doubling rate of energy efficiency
• Increasing pace of energy access and transition
• Free and open trade of low/zero emission hydrogen
• Mature clean energy tech, including carbon capture
• Critical mineral supply chain
   

Disagreements

• Abatement of fossil fuels
• Low emission development
• Tripling renewable energy capacity
• Zero and low emission technologies
• No new statement on Ukraine