Letter to G7 Sherpas: Make climate change a priority

25 April 2017

“The G7 has played a pivotal role in shaping multilateral diplomacy and international climate policy and in upholding the principles of sustainable growth and development. We need this leadership now more than ever.All G7 countries have ratified the Paris Agreement and must deliver on commitments to limit the increase in global temperature well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C. The credibility of the implementation of the Paris Agreement rests on countries honoring commitments on climate finance and demonstrating the will to undertake a global low-carbon transition as agreed at COP22 in Marrakesh.”

 

To                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            25 April 2017

The Sherpas of the G7, under the Italian Presidency

Re: The 3rd G7 Sherpa’s meeting on 26-27 April

Dear Ambassadors,

Climate Action Network, a broad coalition of 1200 civil society organisations in over 120 countries fighting climate change, calls on the G7 to put climate change at the front and centre of discussions in the upcoming Sherpa’s meeting and in the G7 Heads of State meeting on 26-27 May.  

The G7 has played a pivotal role in shaping multilateral diplomacy and international climate policy and in upholding the principles of sustainable growth and development. We need this leadership now more than ever.All G7 countries have ratified the Paris Agreement and must deliver on commitments to limit the increase in global temperature well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C. The credibility of the implementation of the Paris Agreement rests on countries honoring commitments on climate finance and demonstrating the will to undertake a global low-carbon transition as agreed at COP22 in Marrakesh.

The recent G7 energy ministers’ discussions failed to live up to expectations and demonstrate the urgency that is required to tackle the pace and scale of climate change that confronts us. This cannot set a precedent for discussions in future meetings.
We, however, do appreciate that most of the countries stood firm on implementing the Paris Agreement and the need for a decarbonisation strategy.
Future meetings of G7 countries must significantly advance discussions on the global climate agenda if we want to maintain trust in the multilateral system.

The United States’ decision to retreat from domestic and international climate action cannot stand in the way of other countries leading the charge towards decarbonisation and ramping up national targets to cut emissions commensurate with their promises in Paris. At this juncture, the G7 cannot afford to dither on its commitments or be undermined by any one country. There is no room for a compromise that results in diluting language on climate change, climate finance and decarbonisation to a mere footnote. This would be a failure.
Countries must stand firmly together to prevent backsliding on hard-won global consensus on climate action, even going as far to issue a climate declaration in the name of the G6 should one country obstruct the way forward.   

Sincerely,
Wael Hmaidan
Director, Climate Action Network-International