Macron urges G-7 countries to stop using coal by 2030

By Nur Asena Erturk

France’s president encouraged G7 countries on Friday to stop using coal by 2030.

Emmanuel Macron enumerated several key points to improve the fight against climate change during an address to the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP28 in Dubai.

The "primary priority" for the most developed countries is to end the use of fossil energy, said Macron, who stressed that France and Europe were advancing in that direction.

"Emerging countries must exit coal, this is the second fight," he said, adding that G7 countries should show an example of how to quit coal by 2030.

"We must stop subsidizing new coal-fired plants," Macron noted, adding that continuing investments in coal are an "absurdity."

- Transforming international governance

He stressed the need to "align trade policies with ecology transition."

"I strongly believe that we must include climate rules in the World Trade Organization's rules, " he said.

Macron noted that no country "has to choose between the fight against poverty and the fight against climate change," and evoked Africa, where agriculture remains very important.

"All of this must lead us to transform the international financial architecture that was conceived at a time when most of the countries that are present now in this room, were not existing," said Macron as he pledged more justice and inclusiveness.

The president stressed the importance of "adaptation" -- particularly adapting the agricultural models in Africa.

"This is an indispensable fight since we cannot ask African countries to choose between climate and agricultural production," he said, suggesting doing both with "sustainable models."

"The war in Ukraine showed that the (current) model was not sustainable. We have lots of countries that need nitrogen or phosphate fertilizers. So, we need to help them produce in their own country, have a productive model but more carbon-free," he said.