SAPPORO, Japan - Energy and environment ministers from the Group of Seven (G-7) wealthy nations gathered in northern Japan on Saturday to discuss ways to balance the world's heavy reliance on fossil fuels with the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions to avert the worst effects of climate change.

The Summit is taking place in the northern Japanese city of Sapporo, in order to get an agreement on the best course of action before the G-7 summit in Hiroshima in May.

In an effort to balance the world's heavy reliance on fossil fuels with the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions in order to avert the worst effects of climate change, energy and environment ministers from the Group of Seven wealthy nations met on Saturday in northern Japan.

In order to get an agreement on the best course of action before the G-7 summit in Hiroshima in May, discussions are taking place in the northern Japanese city of Sapporo.

Yasutoshi Nishimura, the economy minister, said before the meetings that "we are facing the challenge of promoting reforms to resolve climate change... and achieving energy security at the same time."

John Kerry, the U.S. Presidential Envoy for Climate, said the G-7 was "powerfully positioned to be able to lead" in the fight against global warming while speaking outside of the conference. "We appreciate Japan's leadership and its stewardship of the G-7 this year."


The closed-door meetings' agenda is dominated by climate change, but there are disagreements on how to reduce carbon emissions and how rapidly. This endeavor is made more difficult by the conflict in Ukraine, which has increased worries about energy security. Additionally, the loss of biodiversity and other global issues will be discussed in Sapporo.

The G-7 nations agreed to work toward a fully or mostly carbon-free electrical supply by 2035 at their meeting in Germany last year. Officials from the United States expressed support for Japan's approach to bridging the transition to renewable energy, which focuses on so-called clean coal, hydrogen, and nuclear energy, while others want the switch to renewable energy to happen more quickly.

According to U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, the G-7 countries want to set an example for others to follow. Given the projected $23 trillion worldwide market for renewable energy by 2030, there is a compelling commercial argument for climate-friendly legislation.

Japan still anticipates that 60% of its energy will come from fossil fuels in 2030, despite the increasing use of renewable energy sources. Japan is also rushing to safeguard populations from severe weather and other effects of global warming. The country is seeking support in Sapporo for its so-called "GX transformation" plan, which aims to promote energy independence and gradually phase out carbon emissions.

Environmentalists claim that the proposal will hinder the country's transition to renewable energy sources while keeping the nation's ailing nuclear industry on life support.

The JCI urged representatives gathered in Sapporo to push for more ambitious goals, noting that countries like Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy already generate more electricity from renewable sources than Japan will by 2030 and that the United States will generate the majority of its electricity from renewable sources by 2035.