Civil society asks G7 leaders to end fossil fuel era

New Delhi, May (IANS) In the lead-up to this weekend's G7 summit in Japan which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, representatives from 350.org along with dozens of global civil society organisations have arrived in Hiroshima ahead of a significant moment during which a response to the correlated climate and energy crises will be a major point of contention.

The summit comes just days after the US issued a warning that the Paris Agreement's 1.5 degree threshold could be surpassed as early as 2027.

While the G7 countries committed to ending fossil fuels in 2022's communique, they have since reneged on their promises and are continuing to support dangerous and costly fossil fuel dependency.

Over 200 companies in the network of We Mean Business Coalition have urged governments at COP27 to uphold their commitment to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees.

More than 80 countries have joined India's call for the phase-down of all fossil fuels. And are already have the solutions needed for the transition, as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) 6th Synthesis Report shows.

Saying G7 leaders must respond with ambitious climate commitments, May Boeve, 350.org Executive Director, said: "The G7 leaders summit in Hiroshima represents a crucial juncture at which the world's most powerful nations have the opportunity to demonstrate true leadership and make good on their promises.

"There is no point powering up on renewables without powering down on fossil fuels -- a commitment to expand renewable energy development is not enough. At a time when the climate, energy insecurity, and cost of living crisis are more potent than ever, we are demanding the G7 communique include a clear timeline for a complete fossil fuel phase out along with financial and technical support to accelerate a just, global energy transition."

A week of solidarity actions that have taken place in over 20 countries around the world culminated in a joint action led by the Fossil Free Japan coalition that was held on the ground in Hiroshima on Wednesday.

Anticipating the upcoming negotiations and reflecting on the shortcomings of April's Sapporo Climate and Energy Ministers communique, civil society is demanding that the G7 leader's final text reflects commitments in the interest of the shared collective future.

Andreas Sieber, 350.org Associate Director of Global Policy, said: "The G7 summit follows a year of global suffering due to fossil fuel-driven inflation, soaring energy prices, and exorbitant profits for oil corporations, following the G7's 2022 pledge to end international fossil fuel support. G7 leaders must phase out coal before 2030 and send a strong signal to substitute fossil fuels with at least 1.5 terawatts of renewable energy per year from 2030 onwards."

As the host country, and one of the world's top providers of international public finance for gas and for fossil fuels more broadly, Japan is in the spotlight.

Masayoshi Iyoda, 350.org Japan Interim Team Lead, said: "Science has made it clear that in order to tackle the climate crisis, we need a complete transition to renewable energy. To achieve the Paris Agreement's 1.5 degree target, world leaders must commit significant finances into renewables and immediately cease financial support for all fossil fuels.

"Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has acted as a laggard on the global stage by attempting to block a phase out of coal and pushing false solutions like ammonia co-firing, dangerous nuclear and LNG into the Sapporo communique. The G7 in Hiroshima is an opportunity for PM Kishida and other leaders to deliver a clear and just renewable energy agenda for a peaceful world."

Kishida and US President Joe Biden have positioned themselves as aspiring leaders on issues pertaining to both climate and security -- the latter being a key element of the Prime Minister's decision to host the talks in Hiroshima.

But during their tenures, both have taken backwards steps on their commitments.

While riding the win of passing the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes $369 billion in funding to tackle climate change, President Biden has in the past two months approved two mega fossil fuel projects in Alaska -- the Willow oil project, and the Alaska LNG exports, which will include an 800 mile pipeline, the produce of which Japan is expected to be a top buyer.

On climate, Japan is the weakest, said Mary Robinson, Chair, the Elders.

"The G7 is a test for Japanese leadership. Japan has a good record on other issues such as the Covid-19 recovery programme. On climate it is the weakest. There is not in Japan a sense of urgency that I see in most developing countries and in European countries that I see now and the parts of the US that are not in some sort of political denial.

"There really is that need to ensure that Japan gives that leadership on the climate crisis as a crisis so that we can have a decision that is better than the minister's decision, which was a holding decision in my view. We need more than that. Their leaders need to lead," she said.

There were some positive outcomes from the G7 Climate and Environment Ministers meeting which took place in Sapporo in terms of G6 countries stepping up pressure on Japan's climate and energy commitments.

The science is clear. To protect people, businesses and economies from the worst impacts of climate change, G7 leaders must lead boldly to accelerate the just transition away from fossil fuels, and toward a clean energy system. It is the only way to achieve a 1.5 degrees Celsius future.

Many clean energy solutions are reaching tipping points of mass adoption and cost effectiveness. Business is ready to deploy them at scale but needs supportive policies, investments and clear timelines to do so at the pace required by science.