The Group of 20 (G20) on Saturday adopted a final declaration addressing the climate crisis and a raft of global challenges, despite a U.S. boycott of the negotiations, South African officials said.
The text drafted without American participation includes language Washington has repeatedly opposed, a White House official said, calling the process “shameful.”
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson insisted the document “cannot be renegotiated,” underscoring tensions between Pretoria and the Trump administration that have shadowed preparations for the summit.
The G20, which brings together the world’s major economies, has long been divided over climate policy. Frictions intensified during the Trump administration, which frequently resisted multilateral commitments on emissions reduction and climate finance.
Summits in recent years have often struggled to reach consensus language, with the United States objecting to references affirming the Paris Agreement or supporting stronger global climate pledges.
As a result, host nations have sometimes negotiated final texts around U.S. objections or issued split communiqués outlining differing positions.
South Africa, a vocal advocate for climate equity and greater support for developing economies, has pushed for stronger language on mitigation, adaptation, and climate finance.
Boycotts or partial U.S. engagement in drafting sessions have occurred before in G20 and G7 settings when climate language became a sticking point, heightening diplomatic tensions and complicating consensus based negotiations.
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