On climate change, G20 remained G19 as this country refused to agree

Buenos Aires, Dec 1: The thirteenth summit of the Group of Twenty (G20) came to conclusion on Saturday, December 1, with the leaders of the participating nations agreeing to tackle problems in all major issues excepting climate change over which the US continued to beg to differ.

The official communiqué which was released after the summit got over acknowledged flaws in global commerce and calls for reforming the World Trade Organisation. However, it came to support the Paris climate accord on fighting the environmental menace, the US disagreed. Washington, in fact, also objected to mention of the term "protectionism" in the communiqué in relation to trade affairs.

Argentinian President Mauricio Macri said in his closing remarks that the participating nations overcame "a number of challenges" to reach the communiqué.

"We have agreed on a statement that reflects the necessity of revitalising trade, of revitalising the WTO," Macri said. "We ratify the concern of everyone over climate change."

Negotiators burnt the midnight oil to reach the non-binding agreement as the participating nations had all sorts of disagreements over one aspect or the other. While the US had a problem on almost every issue, as said by the European Union officials, countries like China, South Africa, Australia and Turkey also had their share of objections on issues like trade, migration and climate change, Buenos Aires Times reported.

The statement said that 19 countries that are signatories to the Paris climate pact reiterated their commitment to it while the US reiterated its decision to withdraw from the same. Trump had pulled the US out of the pact last year, months after taking office.