Implement the Paris Agreement, with or without the US

Scientists, business leaders and civil society to G20: implement the Paris Agreement, with or without the United States

Berlin/Hamburg: Today, an alliance of over 30 foundations representing a capital in the double-digit billion range (US dollars) has joined forces with a group of stakeholders from science, business, and civil society to call on the G20 to implement the Paris Agreement even without the US. In a joint statement, the alliance – consisting of G20 engagement groups such as the Business 20, Think Tank 20, Women 20 and Labour 20 – criticized the US’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement as “short-sighted and irresponsible”, adding that the Paris Climate Agreement is indispensable in tackling the global climate crisis.

“The remaining 19 members of the G20 should convincingly show their willingness to implement the Paris Agreement at the upcoming G20 Summit in Hamburg”, the statement says.

“Heads of State around the globe have spoken out in favour of the Paris Agreement with impressive force. It’s now time to translate our ambitious words into action. A great number of businesses, investors, scientists, environmental and human rights organisations, mayors and citizens have offered their support for this undertaking”, says Johannes Merck, spokesperson of the Foundations Platform F20 and Chairman of the German Michael Otto Foundation for Environmental Protection.

The alliance has asked the 19 leading economies to submit revised Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) that are sufficient to reach the climate goals set forth in the Paris Agreement, to create a global mechanism on carbon pricing and to agree on a concrete timeline for phasing out fossil fuel subsidies. Furthermore, the group has urged the G20 to enable financial markets to deliver on sustainable development by promoting international disclosure and reporting standards for environmental and climate-related financial risk.

Background
The G20 engagement groups consist of international organizations from all G20 countries and beyond. They represent business (B20), civil society (C20), trade unions (“labor”, L20), youth groups (Y20), women groups (W20) and think tanks (T20). The statement was signed by the respective heads of the climate, energy and sustainability task forces of the engagement groups B20, C20, T20 and is supported by L20, Y20, W20 and F20.

The Statement of the G20 Engagement Groups is available here

The F20 Foundations Platform was founded in the run up to the G20 summit in Hamburg in July. On 4th July, the Foundations Platform will gather leaders from civil society, business, science and politics at an event in Hamburg. The aim is to demonstrate strong support for the global climate agenda as well as to discuss how to leverage the opportunities and benefits arising from transformational processes.

The F20 members are: Rockefeller Brothers Fund (US), the Wallace Global Fund (US), Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation (India), the Tata Trusts (India), Avina Foundation (Latin America), FARN (Argentina), SEE Foundation (China), C Team (China), Instituto Arapyaú (Brasil), European Climate Foundation (Netherlands), Stiftung Zukunftsfähigkeit, Stiftung Mercator, Foundation 2° - German CEOs for Climate Protection, Michael Otto Foundation for Environmental Protection, WWF, German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU), the ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius and the World Future Council (all Germany) and others. In total, the foundations represent a capital in the double-digit billion range (US dollars).

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