[Editor's note: Instead of recording a post-G20 'Gang of Four' podcast, Earth and Industry's David Wescott, also of It's Not a Lecture, spurred his colleagues to write a short reaction to this week's G20 meeting in Pittsburgh. Despite his prodding, however, his colleagues fell short. -TH]

The G20 didn't focus nearly the amount of attention on environmental issues as it could have.  Iran's reluctant disclosure of its nuclear program activities was an appropriate show-stealer.  But surely there are more important global issues than what the world pays its bankers, and that topic sadly dominated the chatter of the first day.

As we discussed in last week's podcast, clearly the issue of eliminating subsidies for fossil fuels is the issue that carried from the President's address to the UN to the G20. It was also clear that the President got what he wanted on the issue - an acknowledgment that the elimination of subsidies is a priority.  Of course, the forum also ensured that the President got no more, as the absence of a timeline to meet the subsidy elimination goals in the final draft underscored the limitations of these types of summit meetings.  Most of these global leaders know eliminating these subsidies won't play well with many lawmakers at home.  I think the Obama Administration has no illusions about the political lift here.

Image via G20Voice