TOKYO: The Group of 20 (G20) climate and energy ministers have failed to agree on a numerical target on climate change in their latest meeting in Naples, Italy.

At the meeting Friday, the ministers from the G20 major economies agreed to accelerate efforts to fight global warming based on the Paris agreement.

But advanced and emerging countries were apart over the numerical target and a proposed commitment to phasing out coal power. The issues will be discussed again at a G20 summit in Rome slated for October.

Roberto Cingolani, ecological transition minister of Italy, which holds the rotating G20 presidency, said he could not gain agreement on contentious issues from some emerging economies such as Russia, China and India.

The Paris agreement aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius, preferably to 1.5 degrees, compared with preindustrial levels.

According to Cingolani, there was a proposal for including the 1.5-degree target in a joint communique of the G20 ministers, but it met with opposition.

The G20 also held a meeting of their environment ministers Thursday. Participants reconfirmed the Osaka Blue Ocean Vision, adopted at the 2019 G20 summit in the Japanese city of Osaka, which seeks to stop any new plastic litter from entering the ocean by 2050.

From Japan, Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi attended the ministerial meetings.

JIJI Press