By Nneka Nwogwugwu
G7 environment ministers have agreed to take significant steps to help limit climate change.
NatureNews gathered six significant steps the ministers agreed to embark on.
1.They agreed that they will deliver climate targets in line with limiting the rise in global temperatures to 1.5C.
That’s far more ambitious than the previous 2C maximum.
2.Ministers also agreed to stop direct funding of coal-fired power stations in poorer nations by the end of 2021.
This decision will send a clear message to development banks that still fund coal power in poor countries.
3.There’s also an important commitment to safeguarding 30% of land for nature by 2030 to boost wildlife and help soak up carbon emissions.
4.The G7 ministers agreed much more cash was needed to help fast-growing economies such as India and Indonesia to get clean technology. This decision will be pushed forward at the G7 Finance ministers’ meeting on 4 June.
The communique issued by the ministers at the end of the meeting said: “We will phase out new direct government support for carbon-intensive international fossil fuel energy.” This is expected to mean coal and oil.
Another statement in communique said: “We commit to take concrete steps towards an absolute end to new direct government support for unabated international thermal coal power generation by end of 2021.”
5.The UK Environment Secretary George Eustice told a news conference that the G7 would work towards ending unregulated fishing – and strive to improve marine biodiversity in international waters.
6.The ministers agreed that the world should move towards zero emission vehicles. The G7 were joined by India, Australia, South Africa and South Korea who have guest status at the meeting.
Environment ministers from the UK, the US, Canada, Japan, France, Italy and Germany took part in the virtual G7 meeting, which is one of a series leading to the leaders’ gathering in Cornwall in June.
The online meeting was led by the UK, and a government source told BBC News: “We’re pretty encouraged by the outcomes.”
The decisions that have been taken are an important stepping-stone on the road towards the vital global climate summit in Glasgow in November called COP26, the BBC stated.
The move to keep their policies in line with 1.5C implies much faster action to cut emissions by 2030, rather than by mid-century.
The ministers are said to have been heavily influenced by a recent report from the rich nations’ energy think tank, the IEA.
The study said that if the world wanted to reach net-zero emissions by the middle of the century, then there could be no new coal, oil or gas development from now on.
