The first milestone commitment on fossil fuels since Cop 28 will test the group's climate leadership aims, writes Georgia Gratton
G7 countries this week committed to phasing out "unabated coal power generation" by 2035 — putting a timeframe on a coal phase-out for the first time. The pledge represents a major step forward, particularly for Japan, but the group's commitment has caveats.
The communique — from a meeting of G7 climate, energy and environment ministers in Turin, northern Italy, on 28-30 April — is "an historic agreement" on coal, Canadian environment minister Steven Guilbeault says. Most G7 countries have already set a deadline for phasing out coal-fired power, and the UK and France will close their last remaining coal power plants this year. The G7 countries are Italy — this year's host — Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the UK and the US. The EU is a non-enumerated member.
The agreement is a "milestone moment", think-tank E3G senior policy advisor Katrine Petersen says. It targets the most polluting fossil fuel, and is the first big climate declaration since the UN Cop 28 summit concluded in December with a consensus to transition away from fossil fuels.
But the pledge contains a caveat in its reference to unabated coal-fired power, suggesting abatement technologies such as carbon capture and storage could justify its use, and some of the wording around a deadline is unclear. The communique sets a timeframe of "the first half of [the] 2030s, or in a timeline consistent with keeping a limit of 1.5°C temperature rise within reach, in line with countries' net zero pathways".
The commitment is a major step for Japan, "previously a blocker to G7 commitments on phasing out coal", E3G programme lead Pieter de Pous says. "Now other OECD countries need to build on this leadership to ensure all wealthy nations align with the level of ambition that climate science says is required". OECD countries should end coal use by 2030 and the rest of the world by 2040, to align with the global warming limit of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels the Paris Agreement seeks, energy watchdog the IEA and research institute Climate Analytics say.
Highest possible ambition
The G7's communique was largely focused on the energy transition, welcoming and backing Cop 28 outcomes and pledging to "accelerate the phase-out of unabated fossil fuels so as to achieve net zero in energy systems by 2050". The group committed to submit climate plans with "the highest possible ambition" by early 2025 and reiterated its pledge for a "fully or predominantly decarbonised power sector by 2035" —first made in May 2022.
Simon Stiell, head of UN climate body the UNFCCC, urged G7 and G20 countries to lead on climate action in a recent speech. The group noted in its communique"further actions from all countries, especially major economies, are required".
Energy security remained in sharp focus. The group warned of "possible weaponisation of economic dependencies on critical minerals and critical raw materials", many of which are mined and processed outside the G7 group. And its selectively supportive stance on natural gas investments and LNG deliveries — driven by recent energy security priorities — was unchanged.
The communique did not mention coal exports. Of the G7, the US and Canada are net coal exporters. But "the demand shift will absolutely impact the market and the viability of continued mining", as will multiple alliances outside the G7 that aim to end coal, research organisation WRI global director of energy Jennifer Layke says. And although the issue of some advanced economies continuing to profit from coal exports could be a point of contention at climate talks, climate leadership in terms of fossil fuel consumption is a key step.
