World facing 'unprecedented climate emergency': Brazil's Lula in G20 Summit

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has told world leaders at the G20 Summit in India that the planet was facing an "unprecedented climate emergency".

"The lack of commitment to the environment has led us to an unprecedented climate emergency," Lula said on Saturday at the two-day meeting in New Delhi. "Droughts, floods, storms and fires are becoming more frequent."

G20 leaders meet this weekend during what is likely the hottest year in human history, but hopes are slim that the divided grouping can agree on ambitious action on the crisis.

Any failure to do so could lower expectations ahead of crucial COP28 climate talks that begin in November in the United Arab Emirates.

In July, G20 energy ministers failed to even mention coal in their final statement, let alone agree a phase down roadmap, and there was no progress on the renewables goal.

G20 countries account for 85 percent of global GDP and a similar amount of global climate warming emissions, making action in the forum crucial to real progress.

Countries were also expected to address reforming development banks like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund to help make funds more accessible for lower- and middle-income countries as they seek solutions to combat climate change, among other things.

India's lead G20 negotiator, Amitabh Kant, told reporters that boosting climate action and climate financing were key priorities, particularly for developing and emerging markets.

“It was critical that we focused on multilateral organizations and how to redefine and reform them,” he said. "Our view was that Global South,