Minister Saito Attends G7 Ministers' Meeting on Climate, Energy and Environment

1. G7 Ministers' Meeting on Climate, Energy and Environment

On Monday, April 29, and Tuesday, April 30, 2024, Minister Saito attended the G7 Ministers’ Meeting on Climate, Energy and Environment. The meeting brought together not only the ministers of G7 member countries but also representatives of invited countries and international organizations.

At the meeting, placing weight on the continuity of initiatives following the G7 2023 Hiroshima Summit and the implementation of the Global Stocktake (GST) agreed at the COP28, participants held discussions on certain themes, including [i] accelerating net-zero emissions, [ii] ensuring energy security, and [iii] collaboration with developing countries. Minister Saito stated the importance of such matters as the achievement of triple breakthroughs to address climate change, ensure energy security, and drive economic growth; the achievement of the common goal of net-zero emissions under various pathways; global decarbonization; and the realization of orderly energy transitions.

The ministers issued Ministers’ Meeting Communiqué based on the discussions held at the meeting.

2. Meetings with other participating ministers

Taking the opportunity of the meeting, Minister Saito exchanged views each with a total of four participating ministers, and a head of an international organization.

(1) H.E. Mr. Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, Italy

The two sides held discussions on key outcomes of this G7 Ministers’ Meeting, including approaches to decarbonization in the transportation sector and promoting nuclear technology development, and they also confirmed the need for steady implementation of the outcome document.

(2) H.E. Ms. Kadri Simson, European Commissioner for Energy, the EU

The two sides exchanged views on Japan-EU cooperation in such fields as hydrogen, renewable energy, natural gas/LNG, and CCUS/carbon recycling, as well as on supply chain resilience for clean energy technologies.

(3) H.E. Mr. Wopke Hoekstra, European Commissioner for Climate Action, the EU

The two sides agreed that Japan and the EU will continue to exchange opinions on carbon pricing and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) under the Japan-EU Green Alliance.

(4) H.E. Dr. Fatih Birol, Executive Director, International Energy Agency (IEA)

The two sides held discussions on such issues as the strengthening of the IEA's functions in the fields of natural gas and LNG in light of the Ministerial Communiqué issued at the IEA Ministerial Meeting held in February 2024 and the results of this G7 Ministers’ Meeting, and the collaboration in Southeast Asia through the IEA’s Regional Cooperation Centre in Singapore scheduled to be newly established.

Related Material

• Climate, Energy and Environment Ministers’ Meeting Communiqué (Torino, April 29-30, 2024)(PDF:743KB)

Division in Charge

• International Affairs Division, Commissioner's Secretariat, Agency for Natural Resources and Energy
• Global Environmental Affairs Office, Industrial Science, Technology and Environment Policy Bureau