The G7 Ministers of Climate, Energy and the Environment met from 15 to 16 April 2023 in Sapporo, Japan, under the Japanese G7 Presidency. The meeting gathered Ministers from the Group of 7 (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the European Union) as well as guest organisations and countries. The meeting served to exchange views and build consensus on global environmental issues, which will form the basis of discussions at the upcoming G7 Hiroshima Summit 2023.
Following the meeting, the Ministers adopted and released a joint communiqué. Ocean commitments and joint actions are addressed under the sections i) climate, energy and environment (article 12 and 30) and iii) pollution (article 37). These include, among others, commitments to and actions on the G7 Ocean Deal and the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and reducing additional plastic pollution to zero by 2040.
We will act decisively and work urgently towards clean, healthy and productive ocean and seas with resilient marine and coastal ecosystems which are essential for all life on earth and for our efforts to address climate change, halt and reverse biodiversity loss and combat pollution in line with the SDGs. [extract from article 12]
We will strengthen scientific and technical knowledge on plastic pollution including through reporting and monitoring, and will promote existing and innovative technologies and approaches along the plastic value chain that contribute to ending plastic pollution. Reaffirming the importance of cooperation, coordination, and complementarity, among relevant regional and international conventions and instruments, we underline ongoing efforts to prevent and reduce plastic pollution in the sea under the Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans. [extract from article 37]
Useful links
- Related article on the G7 Future of the Seas and Oceans Initiative website: www.g7fsoi.org/g7-climate-energy-and-the-environment-ministerial-2023
- G7 Ministers’ Meeting on Climate, Energy and Environment in Sapporo: www.env.go.jp/en/earth/g7/2023_sapporo_emm/
- G7 Science and Technology Ministerial – en.g7sendai.jp
- G7 Hiroshima Summit 2023: www.g7hiroshima.go.jp/en
