Protests erupt in Italy as G7 ministers meet to discuss climate crisis

Dozens of protesters demonstrated in the northern Italian city of Turin on Sunday, blocking a highway and setting fire to images of world leaders. 

The demonstrators claimed that the G7 leaders were failing to meet their climate demands, as well as failing future generations over climate change. 

Rome, which is currently holding the G7 rotating presidency, has said that the meeting in Turin is to be the strategic link between last year’s COP28 in Dubai and the next conference, which will be held in Azerbaijan in November. 

Environment ministers from the G7, which includes countries such as Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the UK and the US, will meet for four sessions over two days at the 17th century Palace of Venaria.

Italy’s Environment and Energy Security Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin said that the aim of the meeting is to “make the course set out by COP28 practical, real, concrete”.

He also said that Italy, which is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and wildfires, Italy is putting “biodiversity, ecosystems, warming seas” high on the agenda.

Currently not a single member of the G7 is on track to meet its emission reduction targets for 2030, according to a report from the Climate Analytics Policy Institute.

The talks will also include delegations from Dubai and Azerbaijan, as well as Brazil which is hosting the G20 this year.