PM to attend G7 summit in Germany, environment and climate change top of agenda

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Germany for the G7 Summit, on June 26 and 27, which will place a heavy emphasis on the environment and climate change.

Prime Minister Modi will be visiting Schloss Elmau, Germany at the invitation of the Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, for the G7 Summit under the German Presidency on June 26 and 27.

“During the Summit, the Prime Minister is expected to speak in two sessions that include environment, energy, climate, food security, health, gender equality and democracy,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

In an effort to strengthen international collaboration on the important issues, other democracies such as Argentina, Indonesia, Senegal and South Africa have also been invited, it said, adding, “On the sidelines of the Summit, Prime Minister will also hold bilateral meetings with leaders of some of the participating countries”.

The invitation to G7 Summit is in keeping with the tradition of strong and close partnership and high-level political contacts between India and Germany.

Prime Minister’s last visit to Germany was on May 2, 2022 for the sixth edition of the India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC).

Earlier, the G7, which represents the world’s biggest advanced economies, agreed to achieve “predominantly decarbonized” electricity sectors by 2035.

G7 climate, energy and environment ministers made the new pledge in a 40-page communiqué during the meeting in Berlin, in which they also committed to an eventual phase-out of coal power generation, but gave no deadline for when they would do so.

Member countries Britain, France and Italy have already set themselves deadlines to stop burning coal for electricity in the next few years.

Germany and Canada are aiming for 2030; Japan wants more time; while the Biden administration has set a target of ending fossil fuel use for electricity generation in the United States by 2035.

The G7 includes the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom, as well as the European Union.

Their decisions on energy and climate are often pitched to the wider G20 group, which together produce 80% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.

After attending the G7 Summit, the Prime Minister would travelling to United Arab Emirates (UAE) on June 28 “to pay his personal condolences on the passing away of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the former UAE President and Abu Dhabi Ruler.

PM will also take the opportunity to congratulate Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on his election as the new President of UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, MEA said.

Prime Minister will depart from UAE the same night on June 28.