The energy ministers of the G7 group of countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom and United States) along with European Energy and Climate Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete failed in Rome on Sunday 9 and Monday 10 April to reach agreement on a joint statement because of United States reservations on climate change.
The US said it would reserve its position on G7 commitments made at the signing of the Paris climate agreement, Italian Economic Development Minister Carlo Calenda is reported by several news outlets as saying after the meeting, which he chaired, on Monday afternoon.
The US has stated that it is reviewing its position on climate change after the new administration, led since January by President Donald Trump, took office. In view of that country’s reservations, Italy decided not to propose a joint statement, Calenda said.
White House spokesperson Sean Spicer said at the end of March that Trump would announce his position “before the end of May” and the G7 summit in Taormina, Sicily, (26-27 May) on the 2015 international climate agreement concluded in Paris by 195 countries, including the United States. During the American electoral campaign in 2016, the current US president was fierce in his criticism of this agreement.
The meeting of G7 energy ministers focused on energy security, including cyber security, natural gas and Ukraine, renewable energy, sustainable alternative fuels, energy efficiency and innovation in clean technologies. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)