Today: 6 May 2025
17 April 2023
2 mins read

G7 fails to set date for ending coal power use

More aggressive moves to reduce carbon emissions remain a highlighted difficulty for G7 as the world’s major industrialised economies continue to clash on coal…reports Asian Lite News

The G7 ministers of Environment and Energy have failed to set a deadline for phasing out coal-powered energy despite vows for net-zero emissions as their two-day talks ended in the Japanese city of Sapporo.

The ministers on Sunday underlined G7’s commitment to “accelerating the clean energy transition to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050” in a 36-page statement released after the G7 Ministers’ Meeting on Climate, Energy and Environment held from Saturday to Sunday.

More aggressive moves to reduce carbon emissions remain a highlighted difficulty for G7 as the world’s major industrialised economies continue to clash on coal.

Japan, as host of the meetings, was reluctant to agree to a specific time frame for ending the resource-poor country’s use of coal given its likely need to rely on the energy source for at least most of the 2030s, national news agency Kyodo reported.

The inclusion of natural gas within the phase-out goals adds pressure on Japan, which plans to rely on the energy source for around 20 per cent of its electricity generation in fiscal 2030, alongside coal for nearly 19 per cent and crude oil for nearly two per cent, the report added.

Japan, which presided over the meeting in the northern city of Sapporo, has been reluctant to agree to a specific time frame for ending the resource-poor country’s use of coal given its likely need to rely on the energy source for at least most of the 2030s, despite a push by Britain and Canada to end the practice, Kyodo News Agency reported. Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura told a press conference that his country will work hard to phase out so-called unabated fossil fuels, which includes gas, oil and coal, in the power sector for the first time, after the G-7 agreed on aiming to do so.

Unabated is used to describe fossil fuels when a plant has not invested in pollution control technologies, such as carbon capture and storage, Kyodo News Agency reported.

The inclusion of natural gas within the phase-out goals adds pressure on Japan, which plans to rely on the energy source for around 20 per cent of its electricity generation in fiscal 2030, alongside coal for roughly 19 per cent and crude oil for around 2 per cent.

“We confirmed we will achieve carbon neutrality while recognizing that the path to reaching that target will vary depending on each country’s circumstances and energy situations,” Nishimura said, suggesting that the country maintains support from its G-7 peers on the use of fossil fuels for now.

The ministers reiterated their countries’ commitment to “fully or predominantly” decarbonizing the power sector by 2035 in a joint communique issued after their meeting, Kyodo News Agency reported.

ALSO READ-G7 still in dark over ending coal power use

Previous Story

Fighting intensifies in Sudan, WFP halts ops

Next Story

DEWA bags two awards for its green hydrogen project

Latest from -Top News

UAE Reopens Doors to Lebanon

The prime minister expressed Lebanon’s “utmost gratitude and appreciation to the UAE” and President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan….reports Asian Lite News Lebanon welcomed the decision by the United Arab Emirates

SYRIA RAIDS: Arab League Slams Israel

The Arab League condemned the airstrikes and called on the international community and the United Nations to confront what it described as “repeated violations committed by Israel against the Syrian state.” The

India Rises, Africa Watches 

While struggling economies in Africa engulf themselves in ideological battles and take sides in the tariff battles, nations like India are placing their national interest first and navigating Global Trade challenges in

WAVES 2025: Jaishankar Advocates Cultural Pluralism

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar delivered a powerful address at the WAVES 2025 Global Media Dialogue, highlighting the significance of cultural pluralism in shaping global change. Speaking on the second day of
Go toTop

Don't Miss

G7 pledges more Russia sanctions  

Finally, the G7 leaders demanded that Russia “fully clarify the

G7 to unveil global anti-pandemic action plan

The G7 leaders are expected to agree to the ‘Carbis