Climate actions should not constitute disguised restriction on trade: G20 leaders

RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- G20 leaders have agreed that measures taken to combat climate change, including unilateral ones, should not constitute a means of arbitrary or unjustifiable discrimination or a disguised restriction on international trade, according to the G20 Rio de Janeiro Leaders' Declaration released on Tuesday.

The leaders called on members to cooperate on promoting a supportive and open international economic system aimed at achieving sustainable economic growth and development in all countries and thus enabling them to better address the problems of climate change.

They underscored the need to scale up public and private climate finance and investment for developing countries and highlighted the need for rapidly and substantially scaling up climate finance from billions to trillions from all sources.

The leaders voiced support for the implementation of efforts to triple renewable energy capacity globally and double the global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements globally through existing targets and policies.

They reaffirmed their commitment to the full, and effective implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and stressed the importance of sustainably managing forests and combating deforestation.

They also pledged to end plastic pollution and avoid discriminatory green economic policies, consistent with WTO rules and multilateral environmental agreements, while recognizing the importance of embracing sustainable production and consumption patterns. ■