G7 MEETING: Ministers aim for ways to stabilize energy markets, cut emissions

Ministers from G7 countries aim to come up with a set of specific actions to stabilize energy markets and cut global emissions through cooperation with the chair of the ASEAN and the host of the COP28, Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasutoshi Nishimura said April 15.

Speaking at an opening address at the G7 Ministers' Meeting on Climate, Energy and Environment in Sapporo, northern Japan, Nishimura said that Japan proposed to discuss ways to proceed with the idea of green transformation, known as GX, globally during the next two days of discussion.

"To proceed with green energy transition surely, we need to aim for a common goal of net zero through the approach with various pathways, depending on the situation by each country," Nishimura said.

"We believe it is important to secure as many options as possible through utilizing such decarbonization technology as renewable energy, energy conservation, nuclear power, hydrogen, ammonia and CCUS [carbon capture, utilization and storage]," he added.

The move marks Tokyo's latest effort to recognize differences in how countries pursue carbon neutrality despite a broad consensus on the matter.

Energy transition and security will be among the key themes of the G7 climate and energy ministerial meeting, where Indonesia is invited as the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, along with India as the president of the G20, and the UAE as the host of the the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) set to start in Dubai in November.