"The G20 committed in March to ‘do whatever it takes to overcome the pandemic and protect lives and livelihoods.’ As we meet this weekend, we must hold ourselves to account for that promise," Johnson is expected to say in a video message released to the media ahead of the event.
The prime minister will stress UK´s commitment to equitable global access for a COVID-19 vaccine and ask the representatives of the world´s leading economies to join and support the COVAX initiative, to ensure developing countries are not left behind in the race for a vaccine.
“We have seen encouraging developments on vaccines in the last few weeks, which may offer a path out of the gloom,” he will say.
On climate change, Johnson will welcome recent net-zero emission commitments made by a number of G20 countries, and will make reference to the ambitious ten-point plan for a green industrial revolution he unveiled on Wednesday before the UK Parliament, and which will include a ban on the sale of new gasoline and diesel cars by 2030 and other measures aimed at meeting net-zero emission targets by 2050.
“That future will only be possible if the world’s leading economies drive forward more ambitious action, more quickly to prevent further catastrophic climate change,” he will say.
Johnson will attend the two-day international forum for governments and central bank governors of 19 countries and the European Union remotely from his office at number 10 Downing Street.