G7 Ministers’ Meeting on Climate, Energy, Environment Kicks Off in Sapporo

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:42 JST, April 15, 2023

SAPPORO — The G7 Ministers’ Meeting on Climate, Energy and Environment kicked off in Sapporo on Saturday.

Energy supply stability and decarbonization efforts are on the agenda of the two-day meeting, amid the backdrop of prolonged Russian aggression in Ukraine.

A major focus will be whether an agreement can be reached on a timeline for ending coal power generation.

A ministerial statement will be issued on Sunday.

This is the first ministerial-level G7 meeting to be held in the country this year, in which Japan holds the rotating presidency.

Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura and Environment Minister Akihiro Nishimura are attending the meeting.

Efforts to phase out coal power generation were included in a ministerial statement issued at a G7 meeting in Germany last year. Some countries, such as Britain, have called for a G7 statement that includes the timing of the exit, but Japan has adopted a cautious stance.

Efforts to utilize hydrogen and ammonia in thermal power generation, which Japan is promoting to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, are likely to be included in the statement following the latest meeting. The importance of nuclear power generation is also expected to feature in the document.

The protection of biodiversity and the promotion of a circular economy in which resources are reused are on the agenda at this weekend’s meeting.

An action plan will also be formulated to strengthen the supply chain of key mineral resources used for EVs and other products, from the perspective of economic security.

“We must simultaneously promote efforts to combat climate change issues and secure energy security,” Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Nishimura said in his address.

Environment Minister Nishimura said, “The G7 as a whole will work toward the transformation of society to [create] a sustainable and resilient system.”