Bilan in mixed tone for the Brazilian G20. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is chairing the forum this year, while multilateralism, already in bad shape, threatens to be further damaged with the imminent return of Donald Trump to the White House. Lula can boast of having been able to launch a Global Alliance against hunger and poverty, a coalition of 82 countries, and of a success with a common commitment to cooperate to “effectively” tax the most fortunate.
But, while the COP29 climate conference in Baku did not make it possible, in more than a week, to draw an agreement between rich countries and emerging countries on who should finance adaptation to climate change, there was great expectation. placed in the G20 leaders. Here's what to remember from the 5 hot issues of the moment.
Climate: no white smoke
While negotiations are stalling at the COP29 climate conference in Baku on the issue of climate finance, hopes were high to see the G20 unblock the situation. In their final declaration, G20 leaders recognize “the need to scale up climate finance” and bring it to “trillions of dollars, from all sources”. But without specifying who will put their hand in their pocket.
ALSO READ The Minister of Ecological Transition will not participate in COP29They also did not include in their press release the commitment to “operate a fair, orderly and equitable transition towards an exit from fossil fuels in energy systems”, which was torn from the last COP last year in Dubai .
A “just and lasting” peace in Ukraine
The war in Ukraine largely dominated the debates at the G20, the day after the green light given by the United States to kyiv for the use of its long-range missiles against Russia, a decision deemed “completely good” by Emmanuel Macron. “We welcome all relevant and constructive initiatives in favor of a just” and “sustainable” peace in Ukraine, the leaders write in their declaration.
ALSO READ Joe Biden authorizes Ukraine to strike Russia with long-range missilesThey recall the principles of the United Nations charter “for the promotion of peaceful, friendly and good neighborly relations between nations”. But like last year during the G20 summit in New Delhi, if the text generally denounces “the threat and use of force” aimed at obtaining territorial gains, it does not explicitly mention a ” Russian aggression.
Ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon
The G20 countries say they are “united to support a ceasefire” in Gaza and Lebanon. “While expressing our deep concern about the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the escalation in Lebanon, we emphasize the urgent need to expand the flow of humanitarian assistance and strengthen the protection of civilians.”
“Effectively” tax the super-rich
G20 leaders on Monday endorsed the idea of cooperating to “effectively” tax very wealthy people, a victory for Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, head of the G20 this year.
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Kangaroo of the day
Answer
“With full respect for fiscal sovereignty, we will seek to engage cooperatively to ensure that very wealthy individuals are effectively taxed,” the final statement said. The economist specializing in inequalities Gabriel Zucman, from whom the Brazilian presidency of the G20 had commissioned a report on the subject earlier this year, welcomed “a historic decision”. In particular, he suggested a 2% tax on the world's 3,000 billionaires, making it possible to raise $250 billion per year.
Alliance against hunger
It was Lula's flagship social initiative for the Brazilian presidency of the G20: a Global Alliance against hunger and poverty was launched on Monday, with 82 signatory countries. The Global Alliance Against Hunger aims to unite efforts in order to generate financial resources or replicate initiatives that work locally. The goal is to reach half a billion people by 2030, giving an international dimension to the fight against hunger and inequalities.
