G-20 steps up virus fight; Trump rips climate pact

In this handout image provided by Saudi Royal Palace, Saudi King Salman gives his opening remarks at a virtual G20 summit hosted by Saudi Arabia and held over video conference amid the COVID-19 pandemic, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020. (Bandar Aljaloud/Saudi Royal Palace via AP)
In this handout image provided by Saudi Royal Palace, Saudi King Salman gives his opening remarks at a virtual G20 summit hosted by Saudi Arabia and held over video conference amid the COVID-19 pandemic, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020. (Bandar Aljaloud/Saudi Royal Palace via AP)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Leaders of the world's most powerful nations wrapped up the Group of 20 summit Sunday, vowing to spare no effort to protect lives and ensure affordable access to covid-19 vaccines for all people.

The two-day summit of heads of state was held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed almost 1.4 million people globally, with the world's highest death tolls recorded in seven of the G-20 countries. The virus has wiped out hundreds of millions of jobs globally and plunged millions of people into extreme poverty.

President Donald Trump, who participated in the summit with prerecorded speeches but did not attend the conclusion, railed against the Paris climate accord Sunday, saying the agreement was designed to cripple the U.S. economy, not save the planet.

"To protect American workers, I withdrew the United States from the unfair and one-sided Paris climate accord, a very unfair act for the United States," Trump said during a discussion on safeguarding the Earth.

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The G-20 said in a final statement that focused heavily on battling the coronavirus, enhancing environmental protections and supporting the global economy that the virus "revealed vulnerabilities in our preparedness and response and underscored our common challenges."

The group vowed "to spare no effort to protect lives."

The G-20, which includes the U.S., India, China, the U.K., France, Germany, Japan and others, also stressed the importance of global access to covid-19 vaccines, drugs and tests.

"We will spare no effort to ensure their affordable and equitable access for all people the statement said.

The G-20 expressed support for efforts like COVAX, an international initiative to distribute vaccines to countries worldwide. The U.S., however, has declined to join under Trump.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters Sunday in Berlin that Germany had given financial support to the COVAX initiative but that more money was needed.

The G-20 statement did not directly address an urgent appeal by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who said $28 billion in additional investment is needed for mass manufacturing, procurement and delivery of covid-19 vaccines around the world, including $4 billion immediately.

There is also concern that countries such as Britain, the U.S., France and Germany have directly negotiated deals with pharmaceutical companies, meaning the vast majority of the world's vaccine supply next year is already reserved.

Saudi Arabia's King Salman rounded out the summit, saying the final statement "succeeded in sending out a message of hope and reassurance to our citizens and all people around the world."

Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte laid out his country's objectives for the G-20 next year as it assumes the rotating presidency from Saudi Arabia.

"The existential threat, represented by climate change, soil degradation and by the decline of global biodiversity, has brought us to a crossroads, which will determine if we are able to save our planet and construct a sustainable future," Conte said.

He said the pandemic will remain at the top of the group's agenda and reiterated his support for universal access to vaccines.

PARIS ACCORD

President-elect Joe Biden, who takes office in January, has said he will rejoin the Paris climate accord, a global pact that the U.S. helped forge five years ago.

Trump contended the accord was "not designed to save the environment. It was designed to kill the American economy."

Trump said that since withdrawing from the agreement, the U.S. has reduced carbon emissions more than any other nation.

With its giant economy, however, the U.S. has far more raw emissions of climate-damaging carbon dioxide to cut than any other country except China. Since 2005, the United States hasn't been in the top 10 in percentage of greenhouse gas emission reductions.

More than 180 nations have ratified the accord, which aims to keep the increase in average temperatures worldwide "well below" 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit and ideally no more than 2.7 degrees, compared with pre-industrial levels. Scientists say any rise beyond 3.6 degrees could have a devastating impact on large parts of the world, raising sea levels, stoking tropical storms and worsening droughts and floods.

President Xi Jinping of China, the world's largest emitter, said the G-20 should continue to take the lead in tackling climate change and push for full implementation of the Paris accord.

"Not long ago, I announced China's initiative to scale up its nationally determined contributions and strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060," he said. "China will honor its commitment and see the implementation through."

​​​​​Information for this article was contributed by Aya Batrawy, Kirsten Grieshaber, Frances D'Emilio and Deb Riechmann of The Associated Press.

In this handout image provided by Saudi Royal Palace, Saudi King Salman gives his opening remarks at a virtual G20 summit hosted by Saudi Arabia and held over video conference amid the COVID-19 pandemic, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020. (Bandar Aljaloud/Saudi Royal Palace via AP)
In this handout image provided by Saudi Royal Palace, Saudi King Salman gives his opening remarks at a virtual G20 summit hosted by Saudi Arabia and held over video conference amid the COVID-19 pandemic, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020. (Bandar Aljaloud/Saudi Royal Palace via AP)
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses the virtual G20 Leaders' Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabiain, in a video conference from his Vahdettin Pavilion, in Istanbul, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2020. Erdogan said Sunday that Turkey sees itself as a part of Europe, but he called on the European Union to "keep your promises" on issues such as the country's membership bid and refugees.(Turkish Presidency via AP, Pool)
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses the virtual G20 Leaders' Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabiain, in a video conference from his Vahdettin Pavilion, in Istanbul, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2020. Erdogan said Sunday that Turkey sees itself as a part of Europe, but he called on the European Union to "keep your promises" on issues such as the country's membership bid and refugees.(Turkish Presidency via AP, Pool)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel puts on her face mask after holding a joint news conference with Finance Minister Olaf Scholz after a virtual G20 summit meeting, at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Sunday Nov. 22, 2020. (Hannibal Hanschke/Pool via AP)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel puts on her face mask after holding a joint news conference with Finance Minister Olaf Scholz after a virtual G20 summit meeting, at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Sunday Nov. 22, 2020. (Hannibal Hanschke/Pool via AP)
In this handout image provided by DGDA, Diriyah Gate Development Authority of Saudi, a family photo featuring members of the G20 is projected onto the walls of Salwa Palace, At Turaif on Saturday, Nov. 20, 2020 in Diriyah, on the outskirts of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Meshari-Alharbi, DGDA via AP)
In this handout image provided by DGDA, Diriyah Gate Development Authority of Saudi, a family photo featuring members of the G20 is projected onto the walls of Salwa Palace, At Turaif on Saturday, Nov. 20, 2020 in Diriyah, on the outskirts of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Meshari-Alharbi, DGDA via AP)
European Council President Charles Michel, on screen bottom, participates in a virtual G20 meeting, hosted by Saudi Arabia, at the European Council building in Brussels, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020. (Yves Herman, Pool via AP)
European Council President Charles Michel, on screen bottom, participates in a virtual G20 meeting, hosted by Saudi Arabia, at the European Council building in Brussels, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020. (Yves Herman, Pool via AP)
This handout photo provided by G20 Riyadh Summit, shows Saudi King Salman, center, and the rest of world leaders during a virtual G20 summit hosted by Saudi Arabia and held over video conference amid the Covid-19 pandemic, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020. (G20 Riyadh Summit via AP)
This handout photo provided by G20 Riyadh Summit, shows Saudi King Salman, center, and the rest of world leaders during a virtual G20 summit hosted by Saudi Arabia and held over video conference amid the Covid-19 pandemic, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020. (G20 Riyadh Summit via AP)
People wearing face masks to help curb the spread of the coronavirus gather near a giant TV screen broadcasting a news of Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks as he participates in a virtual G20 summit, at a shopping mall in Beijing, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2020. The Group of 20 summit opened on Saturday with appeals by the world's most powerful leaders to collectively chart a way forward as the coronavirus pandemic overshadows this year's gathering, transforming it from in-person meetings to a virtual gathering of speeches and declarations. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
People wearing face masks to help curb the spread of the coronavirus gather near a giant TV screen broadcasting a news of Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks as he participates in a virtual G20 summit, at a shopping mall in Beijing, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2020. The Group of 20 summit opened on Saturday with appeals by the world's most powerful leaders to collectively chart a way forward as the coronavirus pandemic overshadows this year's gathering, transforming it from in-person meetings to a virtual gathering of speeches and declarations. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel holds a joint news conference with Finance Minister Olaf Scholz after a virtual G20 summit meeting, at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Sunday Nov. 22, 2020. (Hannibal Hanschke/Pool via AP)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel holds a joint news conference with Finance Minister Olaf Scholz after a virtual G20 summit meeting, at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Sunday Nov. 22, 2020. (Hannibal Hanschke/Pool via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the G20 summit hosted by Saudi Arabia via video conference at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020. (Alexei Nikolsky, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the G20 summit hosted by Saudi Arabia via video conference at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020. (Alexei Nikolsky, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

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