G7 foreign ministers meet in Japan

G7 allies met yesterday for two days of "difficult" climate talks in northern Japan, facing pressure to show progress on key fossil fuel commitments in an example to other major economies including China.

A French government source earlier described "difficult" discussions, but the country's energy transition minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher painted a brighter picture of today's talks.

She hailed "significant progress" in the joint statement, which she said sent "positive signals for the upcoming G20 and the upcoming COP" in Delhi and Dubai.

The ministers want to show unity after a major UN climate report warned last month that 1.5 degrees Celsius of global warming would be seen in about a decade

Campaigners have warned climate and environment ministers from the leading developed countries against backsliding on pledges to shift away from coal and natural gas at home and abroad.

But a leaked third draft of a statement to be issued today at the meeting in Sapporo has relieved some experts.