Dubai, Jul 29 (IANS): COP28 President-designate Sultan Al Jaber has called on the G-20 nations to take a leadership role in mitigating climate change, media reported.

Al Jaber, also the UAE's special envoy for climate change, made the call at the G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Ministerial Meeting held in Chennai, India, said the report on Friday.

Noting that the G20 economies account for around 80 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, Jaber said decisions made by the group could "have a huge influence on outcomes for everyone" and therefore urged G20 nations to drive actions to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

He also urged solidarity and cooperation among all parties toward scaling up renewable energy, comprehensively decarbonising the energy system, and building a system free of fossil fuels, Xinhua news agency reported.

The president-designate highlighted the importance of making progress on adaptation, a key part of the Paris Agreement, reiterating the need to "move the needle on adaptation finance," which is merely around 10 per cent of that allocated for mitigation.

In the three-day meeting, the G20 major nations failed to agree on concrete targets to mitigate emissions, with disputes lingering over carbon budgets, historical emissions, net-zero goals, and financing for developing countries, according to a document issued by organisers on Friday.

The meeting had been considered a chance for the G20 to make pragmatic steps ahead of the COP28 Summit in the UAE in November.