CAN-Japan Statement to G7 Leaders on Climate Change
G7 Leaders should commit to scale up climate actions and phase out fossil fuels
April 19th, 2016
Last year marked the highest annual average global surface temperature on the observational record, at least 1 degree Celsius higher than the pre-industrial average. Climate change is accelerating, already affecting billions of people. The Paris Agreement must not be just the end of negotiation, but a new beginning for actions. G7 must lead, urgently scaling up actions to tackle climate change and its impacts.
At last year’s G7 Summit held in Elmau, Germany in 2015, G7 leaders agreed to:
- decarbonize the global economy over the course of this century
- reduce 40 to 70 % of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 compared to 2010
- strive for a transformation of the energy sector by 2050.
It shows that G7 nations have already committed to phase out fossil fuels and transition to full decarbonization of the economy. In addition, all nations unanimously agreed in the Paris Agreement to limit global mean temperature rise to 1.5C and well below 2C, and to take collaborative actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions toward zero.
G7 leaders should agree on ambitious targets and implement actions building on these agreed pledges to lead the global transformation towards renewable energy.
At the G7 Ise-Shima Summit in 2016, leaders should take up climate and energy as one of the top agenda items and commit to lead in implementing the Paris Agreement.
Therefore, the G7 should :
Develop and submit long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies as soon as possible or at the latest by 2020
In order to operationalize its long-term vision, the G7 must submit and implement the pathways that can achieve long-term low greenhouse gas emissions with ambitious policy packages.
Ratify the Paris Agreement as soon as possible ensuring its early entry into force before 2020
G7 leadership should signal the importance of early ratification to secure the entry into force of the Paris Agreement.
Scale up implementation of climate actions and update INDCs before formal submission
The COP21 decision clearly recognizes that the aggregate effect of current INDCs will fall significantly short of the below-2C pathway. After the first global dialogue under the UNFCCC in 2018, G7 nations should update their INDCs in 2019-2020. In addition, the G7 should translate effective policies and measures discussed under Technical Expert Meetings under the UNFCCC into actual actions on the ground and support them up to 2020.
Decarbonize the energy sector by 2050
To realize the long term goal under the Paris Agreement, G7 member states should take a lead to achieve the 1.5C -2C goal. This means keeping more than 80% of proven fossil fuels in the ground and achieving full decarbonization of the energy sector by 2050.
Accelerate the phase out fossil fuels, especially coal, and nuclear power
Among fossil fuels, coal is the most-carbon intensive dirtiest energy source. The G7 should move faster to phase out coal. G7 member states should stop new coal plants and speed up the shutdown of old ones. Member states should also apply the OECD agreement to stop all types of public support and finance for coal technologies overseas. Given the Fukushima disaster of 2011 is far from over, with other hazardous risks it presents, the G7 nations should refrain from the deployment of nuclear power as solution to climate change.
Increase renewable energy toward 100% and improve energy efficiency
Renewable energy is becoming more competitive despite continuing inefficient subsidies for fossil fuels. The G7 needs to accelerate the energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Energy efficiency is the key for this transformation. Technological innovation, investment and subsidies in addition to quality infrastructure investment, should be directed to renewables and energy efficiency, not fossil fuels or nuclear related technologies.
Scale up financial contribution up to and after 2020
Climate finance is a crucial part for developing countries to deliver actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Low carbon development plans and actions pledged by developing countries in Paris require a massive increase of support on technology and public finance from rich nations such as G7 whose wealth has been built through extracting and burning fossil fuels. G7 member states must provide their fair share of climate finance up to 2020 and beyond, in particular, make further contributions to the Green Climate Fund.
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About CAN:
The Climate Action Network (CAN) is a worldwide network of over 950 Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) from over 110 countries working to promote government and individual action to limit human-induced climate change to ecologically sustainable levels. Climate Action Network Japan (CAN-Japan) serves as the Japanese base and consists of 14 NGOs in Japan. https://www.can-japan.org/
Contact E-mail: secretariat@can-japan.org Phone +81-(0)75-254-1011 (CAN-Japan Secretariat)