Don't Water Down Climate Promises, G7 Leaders Told

G7 leaders have been urged not to water down commitments on climate change amid growing fears they are set to pursue "disastrous" fossil fuel projects to ease supply problems stemming from the Ukraine war.

- Adam Forrest, Saphora Smith

There are growing fears of a shift back to coal and gas investment, as the leaders of Germany, France, Italy, Japan, UK, US and Canada kicked off three days of talks on the economy, energy and security issues in Bavaria yesterday. Germany and Italy have announced plans to revive old coal plants as gas supplies from Vladimir Putin's Russia dwindle, while Boris Johnson has hinted at support for a new mine in Cumbria.

German chancellor Olaf Scholz - desperately trying to stave off gas rationing - has also said he wants to "intensively" pursue fossil fuel projects in Senegal to provide a new source outside of Russia. It comes despite an agreement forged only last month by G7 climate ministers to end all public investment in overseas fossil fuel projects by the end of 2022. Alex Scott, climate diplomacy lead at the EG3 think tank, told The Independent that "we're getting signals that some are rowing back" on the green energy transition commitment.