Comment on G7 Communiqué – climate change and clean energy

Graham Stuart MP comments on climate and energy sections of G7 communiqué

By Anna Nicholas

info@eciu.net

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G7 leaders at the conclusion of their summit in Japan today released a communiqué [1] committing their countries to “taking the necessary steps” to secure entry into force this year of the Paris Agreement on climate change.

Leaders agreed to make their climate targets more ambitious in future, “accelerate our work towards the transition” to low-carbon energy systems, and phase out greenhouse gas emissions in the second half of this century.

Comment on G7 Communiqué – climate change and clean energy

Commenting, Graham Stuart, MP for Beverley and Holderness and President of GLOBE UK [2], said: “The Paris Agreement on climate change brought the world together to reduce emissions and protect human habitat. It was a remarkable achievement and a truly significant step forward. The urgency of the challenge means, however, that the Agreement must be brought into force as quickly as possible.

“The G7 meeting represented a major opportunity for the world’s most powerful countries to maintain the momentum and commit to the ratification of the Paris Agreement by the end of the year. It’s disappointing that they have stopped short of a firm commitment, but nevertheless their collective agreement to strive for implementation by the end of the year is welcome. Japanese commitment to the low-carbon energy transition suggests the government ought to look again at its current plans to build new coal-fired power stations at home and elsewhere in Asia.

“Bearing in mind the public demand for a solution to climate change, parliaments across the world now need to push their governments to get Paris ratified. GLOBE International legislators will be pressing their Prime Ministers or heads of state to act decisively – and soon.”

ENDS:

Notes to editors:

  • 2. GLOBE, the Global Legislators Organisation for a Balanced Environment, is the world’s largest parliamentary network devoted to legislative leadership on sustainable development and climate change.As well as being President of the UK organisation, Graham Stuart MP is also Vice-President of GLOBE International. He also sits on the Advisory Board of the Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit

For more information:

Richard Black, Director, ECIU, Tel: 07912 583 328, email: richard.black@eciu.net

Anna Nicholas, Communications Officer, ECIU, Tel: 07724 303532, email: anna.nicholas@eciu.net