the first Trump administration offers important lessons in managing climate diplomacy at the G7. In 2018, when Canada held the G7 presidency, I co-chaired the environment ministers’ meeting and participated in the Charlevoix Summit. Navigating the discussion on climate change required careful balancing, particularly given US resistance. At Charlevoix, Canada emphasised healthy oceans, achieving consensus on the Charlevoix blueprint for resilient coastal communities. However, the US did not endorse the climate commitments, instead securing a separate paragraph in the communiqué that prioritised energy security and fossil fuels. At the G7 environment ministers’ meeting later that year in Halifax, I drew on lessons from Italy’s G7 environment ministers’ meeting in Bologna the year before. There, the US secured a controversial footnote in the communiqué stating its withdrawal from the Paris Agreement while asserting its leadership in reducing its carbon footprint. The US refusal to commit to global climate action was frustrating. I remarked, “That the US is now left as a footnote to climate action … is very sad.” Rather than negotiating a divisive communiqué in Halifax, I decided to issue a chair’s summary, which highlighted areas of agreement and balanced the climate ambitions of all members, except for the US. This approach allowed for progress on shared priorities without watering down commitments, ultimately reinforcing the climate actions of the other G7 members. FROM PLEDGES TO PROGRESS The lessons learned from hosting the G7 during the first Trump administration are highly relevant for Canada’s leadership at Kananaskis. Given the ongoing diplomatic complexities with the US, framing the discussions carefully will be essential. A focus on tangible climate issues – such as extreme weather, infrastructure resilience or energy security – can help bridge divides and foster agreement, possibly even with the agreement of the US. A chair’s summary, reflecting the commitments of all G7 members
“Real-world action is critical, and the 2025 Kananaskis Summit must set clear, specific commitments closely tied to international agreements, particularly the Paris Agreement”
// CATHERINE McKENNA Catherine McKenna is the founder and CEO of Climate and Nature Solutions. She served as Canada’s environment minister and infrastructure minister under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. She chairs the United Nations Secretary General’s High-Level Expert Group on Net-Zero Commitments of Non-State Entities and founded Women Leading on Climate. She is an adviser to the Climate Data Steering Committee for the Macron/Bloomberg Net Zero Data Public Utility, Singapore’s International Advisory Panel for Carbon Credits, the Taskforce on Net Zero Policy, the LSE Just Transition Finance Lab and the University of Ottawa’s Information Integrity Lab.
X-TWITTER cathmckenna climateandnature.com
// ISABELLE GILMORE Isabelle Gilmore is a University of Toronto student entering her second year. She completed the Munk One programme and focuses on climate and sustainability.
(except the US, if necessary), will ensure progress without forcing compromise. There are, however, limits. Despite extensive preparation for the Charlevoix Summit, President Trump rejected the final communiqué in a tweet that he issued after the summit’s conclusion, highlighting how unexpected developments can derail progress. This underscored the need for careful diplomatic management throughout the summit. Nevertheless, diplomatic sensitivity must not come at the cost of ambition. G7 summits should not just be scripted exercises but genuine forums for meaningful dialogue and actionable commitments. Although ambitious commitments often appear in G7
communiqués, accountability for follow-through has been lacking. Real-world action is critical, and the 2025 Kananaskis Summit must set clear, specific commitments closely tied to international agreements, particularly the Paris Agreement. Canada’s presidency of the G7 in Kananaskis provides an opportunity to reaffirm these commitments and demonstrate global leadership. This summit also plays a crucial role in setting the stage for COP30 in November this year, underscoring the urgency of climate action. By fostering cooperation and emphasising concrete climate goals, the G7 can help advance a successful path forward for both the environment and the global economy.
109 globalgovernanceproject.org
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