SUSTAINABILITY: ENERGY //
G20 PERFORMANCE ON ENERGY 2008–2024
100
75
50
25
0
Compliance (%)
Conclusions (% words)
Commitments (%)
CAUSES Three causes of G20 compliance with energy commitments stand out. First, there is a clear connection between the number of energy commitments at a summit and overall compliance with the priority ones. The seven summits with the highest compliance averaged 81% and together produced 97 commitments. Conversely, the seven summits with the lowest compliance averaged only 54% and issued 52 commitments in total. A notable exception is the 2017 Hamburg Summit, with 54% compliance and 42 commitments. Second, the strength of the language used in G20 energy commitments significantly influences compliance. Commitments with firm, politically binding language such as ‘we will take steps to create’ or ‘we commit to’ average 81% compliance. Commitments with passive language such as ‘we welcome the work of’ average 62%. Third, a similar pattern emerges when comparing compliance to the total words on energy in summit declarations. The seven summits with the highest compliance produced 6,631 such words and averaged 81% compliance, and
the seven lowest complying summits produced 3,928 words and averaged 54%. Again, Hamburg 2017 is an exception with 3,290 words and 54% compliance. Thus, the G20 should increase the number of clearly defined and actionable commitments, develop comprehensive outcome documents with clear expectations and timelines, and frame commitments with firm, politically binding language that signals political will and accountability. CONCLUSION Johannesburg’s success will hinge on South Africa’s ability to leverage its G20 presidency to place access and equity at the centre of its energy agenda. Yet external pressures will test the G20’s ability to do so, given Middle East instability, volatile gas markets, shipping disruptions, tight supply chains and mounting debt distress in emerging economies. The ultimate test will be whether G20 leaders can unite on a credible framework that balances energy security with climate goals and unlocks the capital needed to drive transition financing in fossil fuel–reliant economies.
// ELLA KOKOTSIS Ella Kokotsis, PhD, is the director of accountability for the G20 and G7 Research Groups. She has attended most summits since 1994, has directed the research and publication of numerous analytical documents, and has spoken extensively at summit-related conferences worldwide. She is the co-author (with John Kirton) of The Global Governance of Climate Change and Reconfiguring the Global Governance of Climate Change (with John Kirton and Brittaney Warren), and co-editor of Financing a Just Transition. X-TWITTER @g20rg www.g20.utoronto.ca
95 globalgovernanceproject.org
Made with FlippingBook - PDF hosting