Your continued promises to address the climate crisis are rendered hollow by your actions—or rather, your inaction. While you commit to cutting emissions and tackling environmental degradation, your countries remain some of the world’s largest investors in fossil fuel exploration and consumption, fundamentally undermining the very solutions you claim to champion.
The recent G7 summit was once again a platform for pledges on climate action, but these words are not translating into meaningful change. Despite agreeing to end public financing for international fossil fuel projects by 2022, G7 countries collectively poured over $100 billion into fossil fuels since the Paris Agreement
This staggering contradiction highlights a troubling hypocrisy: you are funding the climate crisis while vowing to solve it.
Climate change is not a distant threat; it is here and now. The U.S. experienced unprecedented heatwaves and wildfires, causing extensive damage and endangering lives
Europe faced record-breaking temperatures last summer, stressing health systems and infrastructure. Japan's severe typhoons and floods are increasing in intensity, further stressing the need for urgent climate action.
Yet, instead of accelerating a transition to renewable energy, G7 nations are doubling down on fossil fuel investments. This not only perpetuates global warming but also locks in carbon emissions for decades to come. The International Energy Agency has been clear: to meet net-zero goals by 2050, no new fossil fuel projects should be initiated
Plastic pollution is another area where promises fall short. Despite commitments to reduce plastic waste, the production and disposal of plastic continue unabated. Plastics, derived from fossil fuels, contribute significantly to both environmental degradation and greenhouse gas emissions. The pervasive plastic waste in our oceans is a stark reminder of the gap between G7 commitments and real-world actions.
Furthermore, the economic disparities exacerbated by climate change are largely ignored in your strategies. Developing countries, which contribute the least to global emissions, are suffering the most from its impacts. The G7's failure to fulfill climate finance promises, including the $100 billion per year pledge to support poorer nations in climate adaptation and mitigation, is a glaring oversight that must be urgently addressed.
To genuinely lead in the fight against climate change, the G7 must align actions with promises. This means:
1. Halting all new fossil fuel projects:
Redirect investments towards renewable energy sources and support a just transition for workers in fossil fuel industries.
2. Reducing plastic production:
Implement and enforce stringent regulations to cut down plastic waste and encourage the development of sustainable alternatives.
3. Fulfilling climate finance commitments:
Ensure that funds promised to developing nations are delivered, supporting their efforts to adapt to and mitigate climate impacts.
4. Setting and achieving concrete emissions targets:
Move beyond rhetoric to implement actionable policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the scale required to avert climate catastrophe.
The credibility of the G7 depends on your ability to match words with deeds. The time for empty promises is long past. True leadership in the climate crisis demands bold and immediate action. Will we see some from you? Shape up or shape out.
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The G7 must set ambitious goals and follow through with policies that actually cut greenhouse gases, not just talk about it.
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34 w
This is absurd, the world leaders are failing us and our planet and we are tired of their empty promises, we need actions!!
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@elizbeth_gathigia True, as they say a promise is a debt and this time around the debt must be paid religiously.
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@elizbeth_gathigia Our leaders have failed us
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34 w
This is devastating, greenwashing at its best. How I wish the rich states stop funding fossil fuels producers and lead the world towards a sustainable future.
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This is absurd. This is not the time to fund.fossil fuel ...it's time to invest in green energy.
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@jane_wangui I agree, it is time to move money away from the fossil fuels producers.
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This all talk and no show is very shameful for the world leaders. They need to walk the talk!
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@Kevin I concur with you, failing to meet this target is a great misfortune for the environment.
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@Kevin We can't dwell on empty promises without action implementation
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This is a shame!Fossil Fuels are major fuelers to the climate crisis and yet the G7 continues funding this crisis and on the other hand making fake promises to end the climate crisis!!!
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@rukia_ahmed_abdi This is unacceptable for sure, how could they purport to do the right thing whereas they do the exact opposite and hurt the environment.
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@rukia_ahmed_abdi A shift to renewables will mend our broken global energy mix and offer hope to millions of people suffering climate impacts today