{"id":17764,"date":"2021-06-25T16:29:28","date_gmt":"2021-06-25T15:29:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wilsonjames.co.uk\/?p=17764"},"modified":"2021-06-29T17:13:06","modified_gmt":"2021-06-29T16:13:06","slug":"conclusions-and-reactions-from-g7-summit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wilsonjames.co.uk\/conclusions-and-reactions-from-g7-summit","title":{"rendered":"Conclusions and reactions from G7 Summit"},"content":{"rendered":"
The 47th G7 Summit held in Carbis Bay, Cornwall on 11-13 June 2021 intended to address the following issues:<\/p>\n
1. The global response to the Covid-19 pandemic;
\n2. Climate change;
\n3. The global approach to pandemics in general;
\n4. The equal, global distribution of vaccines;
\n5. The design of a global early warning system;
\n6. Global policies for future health emergencies and the reduction of trade barriers.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
CONCLUDING STATEMENT FROM G7 SUMMIT<\/strong><\/p>\n Following the conclusion of the summit, the leaders of the Group of Seven released a communique detailing the progress made. Please click here for the communique in full.<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n HIGHLIGHTS FOLLOWING THE CONCLUSION OF SUMMIT<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The summit raised questions on a number of other Chinese issues including: 2<\/a><\/p>\n –\u00a0 G7 tells Beijing to respect rights in Xinjiang The G7 also insisted Russia to take action against those carrying out cyber-attacks, insisting they \u2018Stop destabilizing and malicious activities\u20193<\/a> and criticised Russia over the arrests of Alex Navalny and Roman Protasevich, and their actions in Ukraine and Belarus.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Reaction<\/strong><\/p>\n In response, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in London said:<\/p>\n “The days when global decisions were dictated by a small group of countries are long gone\u2026 We always believe that countries, big or small, strong or weak, poor or rich, are equals, and that world affairs should be handled through consultation by all countries.”4<\/a><\/p>\n Immediately after the summit, Joe Biden met with Russian President Vladimir Putin with both agreeing to cooperate on global security (particularly identifying US entities that should be free from ransomware or other cyber-attacks). Both presidents agreed the meeting was \u2019productive\u2019 and free from hostility.5<\/a><\/p>\n G7, although were unable to secure a timeline for the cessation of the use of fossil fuels, promised to: <\/p>\n Reaction<\/strong><\/p>\n Climate activists with Extinction Rebellion commented on the summit leaders on their website describing the G7 commitment as a \u2018dismal failure to match the urgency of the crisis we find ourselves in\u2019.7<\/a><\/p>\n In research carried out by Charity Tearfund together with the Overseas Development Institute and the International Institute for Sustainable Development, in the previous year from January 2020 to March 2021 the current G7 countries committed USD$147 billion to spend on clean energy but spent USD$189 supporting the oil, gas and coal industry.8<\/a><\/p>\n Reaction<\/strong><\/p>\n Ex UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown described this as \u201can unforgiveable moral failure\u201d.10<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Max Lawson, Head of Equality for Oxfam stated:<\/p>\n \u201cNever in the history of the G7 has there been a bigger pay gap between their actions and the needs of the world. We don\u2019t need to wait for history to judge this summit a colossal failure\u201d.11<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n GENERAL REACTION<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n COVAX and the Confederation of British Industry described the summit as \u2018significant\u2019, with CBI stating the summit had:<\/p>\n \u201cRe-ignited a belief that the international community can come together in a spirit of collaboration to tackle the big issues of our age\u201d.12<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Lisa Nandy, Shadow Home Secretary commented:<\/p>\n \u201cBy every measure, the prime minister\u2019s summit has come up short. No clear plan to vaccinate the world by the end of 2022. No ambitious commitments to place the world on the path to climate safety\u201d.13<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Nick Dearden, Director of Campaign Group Global Justice, now described the summit as not fit for purpose and calling it:<\/p>\n \u201cA pointless exercise in grandstanding without making any substantive progress towards tackling the crises of our lifetimes\u201d.14<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Patrick Watt, Director of Policy, Public affairs and Campaigns at Christian Aid, was concerned about the implications the summit had on COP26 stating:<\/p>\n \u201cThe success of the COP26 climate summit now hangs in the balance. There is still time for rich nations to deliver a solidarity package that tackles these interconnected crises. Without it, the COP will fail.\u201d15<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n SUMMIT PROTESTS<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n More than 20 people were arrested over the course of the weekend for offences including:<\/p>\n Conspiracy to commit public nuisance <\/p>\n Thousands protested on the streets of Cornwall and London from groups including:<\/p>\n\n
\nAddressing the issue at the conclusion of the summit, US President Joe Biden stressed the importance of finding a \u201cdemocratic alternative\u201d. He stated:
\n\u2018The leaders\u2019 endorsement of a global minimum tax would help ensure global equity and a proposal to finance infrastructure projects in the developing world would counter the influence of China\u2019.1<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n–\u00a0 G7 calls for preservation of Hong Kong freedoms
\n–\u00a0 G7 urges study in China on COVID origins
\n–\u00a0 Expresses concern over situation in East and South China Seas
\n–\u00a0 G7 calls for peace in Taiwan Strait<\/p>\n\n
\n\u2018Phase out new direct government support for international carbon-intensive fossil fuel energy as soon as possible\u2026To be credible, ambitions need to be supported by tangible actions in all sectors of our economies and societies\u2019.6<\/a><\/p>\n\n
\nThe G7 members announced they had secured 870million doses for the COVAX programme, failing short of the promises made prior to the summit to secure one billion doses. (World Health Organisation has highlighted a requirement for 11billion.9<\/a>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\nSuspicion of obstructing a public highway
\nBeing in possession of an article with intent to commit criminal damage
\nBeing in possession of a hoax device 16<\/a><\/p>\n