G19 should have own text on climate and energy – Greenpeace head

The US negotiating team is “working hard to water down” climate texts for the upcoming G20 summit at the preceding negotiations, said International Executive Director at Greenpeace Jennifer Morgan at the Global Solidarity Summit in Hamburg. It is “incredibly important” that the other countries have “a G19 text, if needed, on climate and energy” which made clear they are moving ahead. Morgan said Germany would have a credibility problem if the country did not come up with a plan to exit coal, including a just transition package for the sector’s roughly 20,000 workers. “If the chancellor is really serious about being a leader on climate, at this summit she needs to make it clear that this phase-out is going to happen, and that she’s going to fight for it and work with the unions to get it done. Germany can’t be out there calling for climate action from the rest of the world, when coal is where it is in this country,” said Morgan.
At the Global Solidarity Summit, representatives from civil society, social movements, unions and church organisations discuss strategies and policies alternative to those of the G20.

For background, read CLEW’s interview with Greenpeace’s Morgan "Merkel's experience, credibility make her key in swaying Trump", and the CLEW articles Germany faces balancing act in climate leadership role and G20 climate, energy plan goes to the wire at Hamburg summit.