G7 to create ‘climate club’ to boost action on crisis

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the aim was to ‘ensure that protecting the climate is a competitive advantage, not a disadvantage’

Members of the Group of Seven major economies pledged Tuesday to create a new " climate club " for nations that want to take more ambitious action to tackle global warming.

The move, championed by G-7 summit host German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, will see countries that join the club agree on tougher measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with the aim of keeping global temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) this century, compared to pre-industrial times.

Countries that are part of the club will try to harmonize their measures in such a way that they are comparable and avoid members imposing climate-related tariffs on each others' imports.

Speaking at the end of the three-day summit, Scholz said the aim was to “ensure that protecting the climate is a competitive advantage, not a disadvantage.”

He said details of the planned climate club would be finalized this year.