Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck hopes that the G-7 meeting will lead to progress towards a global end to climate-damaging coal-fired power generation.

The Greens politician said at the start of the G-7 negotiations between energy and climate ministers on Thursday in Berlin that there were intensive discussions about how the largest industrialized countries could make a contribution or even take on a certain pioneering role in phasing out coal from the electricity system.

There is also talk of more climate-friendly transport.

The current emergency in the supply of fossil energy as a result of the war between Russia and Ukraine does not stand in the way of this.

It will accelerate the ecological transformation.

Global warming and the loss of biodiversity are the two major crises that must be solved together.

According to a draft of the final declaration of the meeting, the states are considering an obligation to end climate-damaging coal-fired power generation by 2030. "We are committed to phasing out the climate-damaging use of coal-fired power and non-industrial heat production with coal by 2030," it says Paper available to the Reuters news agency.

Debate on wording

However, there is still resistance to the wording from Japan and the USA.

The wording goes too far for them, especially since, according to the paper, the entire electricity sector should no longer emit any greenhouse gases by 2035.

With regard to the fight against the climate crisis, however, the American climate commissioner John Kerry emphasized: "We have to accelerate it dramatically." Germany is taking a leading role here.

According to Habeck, if the initiative to phase out coal is successful, the result would be presented at the meeting of heads of state and government in June and then discussed in the larger group of the G20.

For the Greens in the traffic light coalition in Germany, a commitment from the G7 would provide momentum.

The coalition agreement stipulates that “ideally” the coal phase-out should come in 2030 instead of by 2038 at the latest.

In addition, Habeck has proposed in a legislative package that the electricity sector should be able to manage without emissions by 2035.

However, this is met with resistance from the FDP, which could still change it in the parliamentary process.

If the electricity sector is no longer allowed to produce CO2, gas-fired power plants can no longer run either.

However, the reference in the draft of the final document for an end to "climate-damaging" coal-fired power plants means that plants with CO2 capture should continue to operate.

Various countries are promoting this CCS technology (Carbon Capture and Storage), but underground storage of CO2 is actually prohibited in Germany.

The meeting of the G7 energy, climate and environment ministers is scheduled for Friday.

Then Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens), who is responsible for international climate protection in the federal government, is also expected.

Germany currently holds the G7 presidency.

The group of leading industrial countries also includes the USA, Japan, Canada, Great Britain, Italy and France.

The EU is also represented at the G-7 meetings.