Climate Change Among Most Contentious Issues at G-7 Summit

TAORMINA, ITALY — 

Climate change is among the most contentious agenda items being addressed Friday at the Group of Seven (G-7) summit in Sicily.

U.S. administration officials have said U.S. President Donald Trump, who referred to man-made global warming as a “hoax” during his campaign, will wait until after the summit before making a decision on the issue.

"I think he is leaning to understand the European position,” chief economic advisor Gary Cohn told reporters. “As you know from the U.S., there's very strong views on both sides."

The G-7, going back more than a decade, has repeatedly recognized the threat of climate change. Leaders hope to persuade Trump to honor Washington’s commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions under the Paris Agreement signed two years ago.

“We think the Paris Agreement has to be implemented entirely,” said European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

But diplomats admit Trump is unlikely to take a firm position at the summit, meaning a final communique issued by the leaders could be tempered significantly compared to the statement they issued at their last summit in Japan.

“It would be extremely rare for this major set of developed countries to not send a clear signal regarding climate change,” according to Jake Schmidt, the international program director of the National Resources Defense Council.

Terrorism, North Korea

Trump said terrorism and North Korea are his top items on the G-7 agenda.

Sitting alongside Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Trump said the summit would have a “particular focus on the North Korea problem.”

A White House statement issued Friday said the two leaders have reaffirmed their commitment “to cooperate to the fullest extent possible to counter terrorist threats” and have agreed to “enhance sanctions on North Korea” in an attempt to deter the development of North Korea’s ballistic missile and nuclear programs.

While terrorism would also be a primary concern for the leaders during their two days of talks on the Italian island, North Korea’s nuclear weapons testing and ballistic missile development comprise “a big problem, it’s a world problem,” said Trump. “It will be solved at some point. It will be solved, you can bet on that.”

Trade is another major topic on the minds of Trump’s counterparts, who have gathered in the resort town of Taormina. In a private meeting with European Commission President Juncker, officials said Trump denounced the German trade surplus as “very bad.”

Nod to Montana Republican candidate

At one point between meetings, Trump turned to photographers and said “Great win in Montana,” a reference to the Republican who won a special congressional race in the western state of Montana. Greg Gianforte was victorious despite having been charged with misdemeanor assault this week after allegedly slamming a reporter to the ground.

Along with the United States, the other members of the G-7 are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Britain. The European Union is also represented.

The group of wealthy nations also included Russia between 1997 and 2014 and was known as the G-8. But after Moscow’s invasion of Crimea, Russian participation was suspended.

For Russia to return it would have to adhere to the “Minsk accords, and implementing those, restoring Ukrainian sovereignty,” U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told reporters Wednesday.

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