EU Reaffirms Clean Energy Commitment at G7 Rome Meeting

While US Secretary of Energy Rick Perry informed his G7 counterparts that the US is currently reviewing its energy and climate policies, all others joined the European Union in reaffirming their solid commitment and determination to implement the Paris Agreement and continue the clean energy transition, EU Energy and Climate Action Commissioner  Miguel Arias Cañete said.

He made this statement following a G7 Energy Ministerial in Rome on April 9-10 that also included the Energy Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom. The G7 meeting was part of the preparations for the gathering of the G7 leaders in Taormina, Sicily, on May 26-27.

In the margins of the G7 Ministerial, Cañete held bilateral meetings with Perry and the Canadian Minister of Natural Resources Jim Carr.

Cañete noted that the G7 energy ministerial has been a useful opportunity to discuss key pressing energy challenges and opportunities amongst like-minded economies, a Commission press release updated on April 10 read.

“Consensus was reached on a number of issues such our continued efforts to support energy security in Ukraine, innovative energy technologies, and the importance of addressing cybersecurity in the energy sector,” Cañete said.

“While Secretary Perry informed us that the US is currently reviewing its energy and climate policies, I was particularly pleased to see that all others joined the EU in reaffirming our solid commitment and determination to implement the Paris Agreement and continue the clean energy transition. We see climate action and the clean energy transition for what it is: a driver of jobs and econom growth, a moral imperative and a promise for a better future,” the Commissioner added.

Cañete stressed that Europe will continue to work with all its partners to reap all the benefits of the clean energy transition in line with the objectives of the historic Paris Agreement.

A member of G7 since 1977, the EU is fully committed to developing a European Energy Union in line with the Paris Agreement to combat climate change. As part of this, last November the European Commission presented ‘Clean Energy for All Europeans’ package in order to foster investments, unlock Europe’s growth potential and create jobs as the clean energy transition is changing global energy markets.

Italy’s Minister of Economic Development Carlo Calenda tweeted on April 10 that it was a “fruitful and constructive discussion”.

According to the Chair’s Summary, in the context of the crisis between Russia and Ukraine, and reaffirming the principles adopted in Rome in 2014, the G7 “reiterated that energy should not be used as a means of political coercion nor as a threat to security and that energy disputes should be solved through dialogue based on reciprocity, transparency and continued cooperation. They remain committed to support Ukraine and other countries vulnerable to energy supply disruptions to pursue resilient and fully competitive energy systems”.

Regarding reducing CO2 emissions, the Heads of Delegation exchanged views on policies and challenges of deploying clean, reliable and affordable energy from all sources in support of the global energy transition.

“They agreed to address the opportunities and the challenges of integrating variable and decentralized renewable energy resources to ensure a resilient energy system. In the transformation they see great opportunities for modernising their economies,” the Chair’s Summary read.