G7 nations set to expand solar and wind power capacity

Alina Oprea

18 April, 2023 at 8:46 AM

The Group of Seven rich nations set new collective targets for solar power and offshore wind capacity, agreeing to speed up renewable energy development and move toward a quicker phase-out of fossil fuels. The G7 countries commit to "fully" or "predominantly" decarbonize their power grids no later than 2035 and accelerate the phase-out of domestic unabated coal power. The ministers also agreed to accelerate the phase-out of unabated fossil fuels in order to achieve net zero in energy systems by 2050. The G7 Climate and Environment Ministers have agreed to a breakthrough acceleration in solar and wind energy signaling a massive boost for renewable energies - collectively increasing offshore wind capacity of 150 GW by 2030 and solar PV to more than 1TW by 2030 - and the increasing deprioritization of gas, coal, and fossil fuels in a bid to limit global temperatures rises to 1.5 degrees.

At a meeting hosted by Japan, the G7 countries set the urgent need to reduce global GHG emissions by around 43 percent by 2030 and 60 percent by 2035 aligned to 1.5 degrees Celsius and in light of the most recent IPCC report.

But they stopped short of endorsing a 2030 deadline for phasing out coal that Canada and other members had pushed for. They left the door open for continued investment in gas, saying that sector could help address potential energy shortfalls.

On coal, the countries agreed to prioritize "concrete and timely steps" toward accelerating the phase-out of "domestic, unabated coal power generation," as a part of a commitment last year to achieve at least a "predominantly" decarbonized power sector by 2035.

They also agreed to accelerate "the phase-out of unabated fossil fuels" — the burning of fossil fuels without using technology to capture the resulting C02 emissions — to achieve net zero in energy systems by 2050 at the latest.

"In the midst of an unprecedented energy crisis, it's important to come up with measures to tackle climate change and promote energy security simultaneously," Japanese industry minister Yasutoshi Nishimura told a news conference.

They fell short of providing an update on the phase-out of "inefficient fossil fuel subsidies", which the group pledged to achieve by 2025.

"While acknowledging that there are diverse pathways to achieving carbon neutral, we agreed on the importance of aiming for a common goal toward 2050," he said.

G7 ministers finish two days of meetings on climate, energy, and environmental policy in the northern Japanese city of Sapporo on Sunday. Renewable fuel sources and energy security have taken on a new urgency following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

They targeted 2040 to reduce additional plastic pollution to zero, bringing the target forward by a decade.

"Initially people thought that climate action and action on energy security potentially were in conflict. But discussions which we had and which are reflected in the communique are that they actually work together," said Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada's minister of natural resources.

In their communique, the members pledged to collectively increase offshore wind capacity by 150 GW by 2030 and solar capacity to more than 1 TW.