Climate crisis: Alberto Fernández discussed with Biden the need to improve financing conditions | “Either we globalize solidarity, or we globalize indifference”

President Alberto Fernandez participated virtually in the Forum of the main economies on energy and the climate and demanded before the leaders of the main industrial powers “Rethinking a new international financial architecture” to offer a lasting solution to the environmental and economic crisis.

“A generalized debt crisis would only exacerbate environmental degradation”said the Argentine president, who decided to attend the meeting after suspending his trip to Mexico amid the internal crisis facing the ruling coalition and finalizing the details of the changes he will make in his cabinet of ministers .

While his presentation to the President of the United States, Joe Biden, the president underlined the need for lower rates and longer payment terms. “Ability to remove surcharges and extend payment terms is essential for Argentina, in the current circumstances of health, financial and ecological stress, ”he said.

In addition, he stressed that “a triple crisis of pandemic, climate change and debt is hitting middle-income countries like Argentina hard” and assured that It is “urgent to rethink a new international financial architecture” which includes “the capitalization of development banks and debt swaps against the climate”.

Argentina’s obligations are framed “In unsustainable debt”He underlined, according to a press release published by the Presidency of the Nation, that the meeting of this international forum is private.

“Either we globalize solidarity, or we globalize indifference”

At the meeting were, in addition to Biden, the Prime Ministers of Great Britain, Boris Johnson; from Italy, Mario draghi; the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres; and the President of Mexico, Manuel López Obrador.

“Either we globalize solidarity, or we globalize indifference. It is essential that the climate and energy transition be fair, and not huge the gaps in well-being on our planet “, underlined the Argentine president.

In addition, he recalled that Argentina “has decided to increase its climate ambition and commit to carbon neutrality by 2050” always “in the midst of a debt situation, which is unprecedented in the world”, and which particularly affects Argentina, being one of the “middle-income countries”.

The virtual meeting also took place in the presence of the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, and of the European Council, Charles Michel. Also the Prime Ministers of Australia, Scott Morrison; Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina; Japan, Yoshihide Suga; and the presidents of Indonesia, Joko Widodo; and from the Republic of Korea, Moon Jae-in.

Joe Biden’s invitation

As explained, the meeting was called by American Joe Biden to give a specific debate on future and necessary actions to deal with the global crisis of climate change.

In the letter in which he was invited by the President of the United States to participate in the event, Biden thanked Fernández for attending the Leaders’ Climate Change Summit April 22-23, and for hosting the Regional Climate Change Summit this month.

In this text, the American president specifies: “The climate change crisis confronts us with both a profound generational challenge as well as a tremendous opportunity to create a more prosperous and sustainable economy that benefits everyone. “

The meeting aims to “strengthen efforts on climate change and ensure the success of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), which will take place from October 31 to November 12, 2021 at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) in Glasgow (UK ).

Among those invited to participate in the event are Germany, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, France, India, Indonesia, Italy , Japan, Mexico, United Kingdom, Republic of Korea, Russia, South Africa, Turkey.

The authorities of the Commission, the European Council and the United Nations will also participate.