TURIN, Italy, May 01, 2024 – The G7 Climate, Energy and Environment Ministerial has released its final text, with all seven member states committing to phase out domestic coal power generation before 2035. This marks an unprecedented commitment from the United States and Japan, the only G7 countries not to have set a coal phase-out date. Fossil gas, nuclear, and biofuels featured heavily in the final communique, while restrictions to Russian fossil gas imports were also adopted.
However, critics argue that the G7’s agreement does not align with the Paris Agreement target of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees. Experts assert that G7 and OECD countries must phase out coal across all sectors by 2030 and take urgent steps to phase out oil and fossil gas.
Andreas Sieber, 350.org Associate Director of Global Campaigns, said, “The G7’s agreement to phase out domestic coal power in the first half of the 2030s is important yet insufficient progress, leaving room to push for the more urgent and complete phase out the climate crisis demands.”
Masayoshi Iyoda, 350.org Japan Campaigner, added, “Japan agreeing to a specific deadline to phase out domestic coal power generation is momentous and long overdue. However, 2035 is too late to meet the 1.5 degree target set in the Paris Agreement.”
Jeff Ordower, 350.org North America Director, stated, “It is past time that the U.S. made concrete commitments to phase out coal power. To keep global warming in line with what communities around the world need to survive, the U.S. must go much further and phase out all fossil fuels, including oil and gas.”
Nicolo Wojewoda, 350.org Europe Regional Director, concluded, “European G7 countries must go beyond rehashing existing coal phase out commitments, and instead replace all fossil fuels in the power sector with renewable energy.”
While the G7 reaffirmed its commitment to achieving the tripling of renewable energy and doubling of energy efficiency by 2030 agreed upon at COP28, critics argue that more urgent action is needed. The world will be watching to see if these commitments translate into concrete action.
