MEDIA ADVISORY
Today and tomorrow the leaders of the world’s most industrialised countries will meet at the G7 summit hosted by Canada. The summit is expected to discuss a range of global issues and it will be an important moment to signal stronger climate action, despite the “stress test” imposed by the US leader over trade and climate change.
The EU and other G7 countries such as Canada and Japan have continued to reaffirm their unwavering commitment to the Paris Agreement and towards mobilising climate finance for countries at the forefront of climate change. Almost three years on from the Paris Agreement, the most advanced economies now need to move from words to action.
G7 economies are not on track to closing the emissions gap, while their mobilisation of climate finance for vulnerable developing countries needs to be drastically scaled up. In addition, fossil fuel subsidies remain a persistent thorn in G7 economies, despite their negative impact on climate ambition. It is estimated that G7 governments spend $100 billion a year on fossil fuel subsidies, despite repeated pledges since 2009 to phase them out, a recent report shows.
Wendel Trio, Director of Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe, said:
“With or without the United States, world leaders must forge ahead to enhance climate ambition, and deliver their climate finance commitments. This will send a strong message to the world that international cooperation on climate change remains a priority of leading economies, and that they stand with vulnerable developing countries.”
“Following its 2016 commitment to phase out fossil fuel subsidies by 2025, the G7 now needs to set down an action plan with clear milestones on how this commitment will become reality. The EU must make this happen as soon as possible in order to give the world the chance to keep temperature rise to 1.5°C.”
ENDS
Contact:
Nicolas Derobert, CAN Europe Communications Coordinator, nicolas@caneurope.org, +32 483 62 18 88
Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe is Europe’s leading NGO coalition fighting dangerous climate change. With over 150 member organisations from 35 European countries, representing over 1.700 NGOs and more than 40 million citizens, CAN Europe promotes sustainable climate, energy and development policies throughout Europe.
