According to a proposed meeting communique shown by Reuters, climate ministers from the G7 economic countries will consider agreeing this week to phase out polluting coal-fueled energy by 2030 and decarbonize their power sectors by 2035.
The incursion on Ukraine by Russia, another major fossil fuel exporter, has prompted a rush among certain countries to purchase more non-Russian fossil fuels and consume more coal to reduce its dependence on Russian gas, elevating fears that its war’s resulting energy crisis would jeopardise climate change efforts. From Wednesday to Friday, the G7 Climate, Energy, and Climate Ministers will gather in Berlin.
The promises made
They will try to reach an agreement there on the promises to ensure that their immediate response to rising global energy costs and fuel supply concerns does not jeopardise longer-term efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that are heating the world.
The proposal also commits G7 countries to get a “net zero power sector by 2035” and to begin publicly reporting next year on how well they are meeting a previous G7 pledge to stop “inefficient” fossil fuel subsidies before 2025.
Before it is acknowledged on Friday, the document could change. According to sources acquainted with the discussions, both Japan and the US have stated that they will not accept the coal phase-out period.
A representative from Japan’s Industry Ministry, which supervises local power production infrastructure, refused to elaborate on the G7 talks directly.
Suggestions regarding Phase-out of coal
A suggestion to phase out domestically unregulated coal power production by 2030, according to the official, would be incompatible with Japan’s economic plans. Japan wants to reduce coal’s part of its energy mix from 32 percent in 2019 to 19 percent by 2030. An official from the United States refuses to comment upon this continuing talks.
“President Biden is taking bold steps to accomplish the nation’s objective of a carbon-free power sector by 2035, and he is leading on the international arena to assist our allies in achieving their climate goals,” the official added.
Countries agreement to phasing out coal
Germany as well as Canada have committed to phase out fuel by 2030, but france, Italy, and the United Kingdom have stated that they will do it sooner.
Even though the US government’s aim to decarbonize the power grid before 2035 suggests coal plants will either close or utilise carbon capture technologies by this same date, neither the US nor Japan have set a deadline.
