The Presidents of the European Council and European Commission (EC) have gathered with leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US for a G7 Summit, during which they discussed issues related to Ukraine and global foreign policy issues, as well as energy, climate, economy and development, among others. The resulting Brussels G7 Summit Declaration addresses each of these issues and affirms the G7's commitment to “the values of freedom and democracy, and their universality and to fostering peace and security.”
On energy security, the Declaration states that the use of "energy supplies as a means of political coercion or as a threat to security is unacceptable.” It endorses the principles of the Rome G7 Energy Initiative, agreed to in May 2014, as a guide to domestic policies for building a “more competitive, diversified, resilient and low-carbon energy system.” These principles include the diversification of energy fuels, sources and routes; development of flexible, transparent and competitive energy markets; and enhancement of energy efficiency.
The Declaration suggests a number of immediate actions on energy, inter alia: support for the EC to develop emergency regional energy plans for winter 2014-2015; collaboration with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and other international institutions to help Ukraine and other European countries develop domestic hydrocarbon and renewable energy sources; and cooperation with the International Energy Agency (IEA) to develop options for gas security.
On climate change, the Declaration recognizes the need for “urgent and concrete action” on climate change as called for in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) and underscores the determination of G7 countries to reach a global agreement on climate change in 2015 “that is ambitious, inclusive and reflects changing global circumstances.” It affirms support for the Copenhagen Accord commitments to mobilize $100 billion per year by 2020 and for various other measures, including eliminating inefficient fossil fuel subsidies.
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To fight illegal coca plantations and conflict actors’ income sources, Colombia’s president wants to loosen the ban on aerial glyphosate spraying. However, considering the dynamics of organised crime, the use of toxic herbicides will not only fail to achieve its aim, it will have many adverse effects for the environment and human health, fundamentally undermining ways to reach peace in the country. International cooperation and national policy-makers need to account for this peace spoiler.
As India grapples with the worsening impacts of climate change, the need to strengthen its adaptation efforts has become more significant than ever. Climate diplomacy and mainstreaming climate adaptation into the most vulnerable sectors could provide some solutions to overcoming barriers, such as the lack of sustainable funding.
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The challenges facing the international community are growing while the willingness to cooperate seems to be waning. Foreign policy must help bridge this gap. One way to accomplish this is by pushing forward a major achievement of multilateralism: the 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. At a side event during the 2019 High-Level Political Forum, diplomats and policy experts discussed the role of foreign policy in the global sustainability architecture.