G7 agrees to set up 'Climate Club' to tackle global warming

By Aysu Bicer

SCHLOSS ELMAU, Germany (AA) - In closing statements at the G7 summit on Tuesday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the members have agreed to set up a "Climate Club" by end of this year to tackle global warming.

"We laid the cornerstone here ... we need more ambition in order to achieve our climate targets," he told a press conference in Elmau.

"Our goal is to bring together the various political approaches. Climate protection should become a competitive advantage so that more and more countries want to join."

In a statement, the Group of Seven countries said they aim to establish an international coalition to coordinate actions on tackling climate change and achieving climate neutrality by 2050.

The club aims to advance "ambitious and transparent climate mitigation policies to reduce emissions intensities" of participating countries, the communique said.

It is also meant to “transforming industries jointly to accelerate decarbonisation,” it added.

The intergovernmental forum “will be inclusive in nature and open to countries that are committed to the full implementation of the Paris Agreement."

Scholz said full support for Ukraine, the joint fight against global famine and more ambition in climate protection are the three messages emanating from the summit.

"We need a Marshall Plan for Ukraine. This needs to be planned well and developed that is one of our goals," he said.

On reconstruction efforts in war-hit Ukraine, G7 plans to international conference to make progress on a comprehensive reconstruction plan.

On the looming global food crisis, the German leader said: "This is Russia's war that is making a lot of people worry that they will no longer be able to feed themselves and their families."

He added: "This is an excess that existential threat in many countries in Africa in particular. That is why we want to take action and that is why we have come up with a global alliance for food security."

G7 leaders have pledged $4.5 billion (€4.2 billion) to boost global food security.

Tons of Ukrainian grain are stuck due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, causing global shortages and price hikes. Russia, which is accused of using food as a weapon, says Western sanctions are to blame for the food shortages.