Germany’s pet project at the G7 summit, forming an international “climate club” of countries with green ambitions, has drawn a mixed response from activists and businesses amid concerns it will fail to drive global action.
Environmentalists have been lukewarm on Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s proposal, seeing it as well-meaning but lacking detail, and in danger of becoming a talking shop that does nothing to force down emissions.
For any club to be credible, it will “likely need teeth”, said Domien Vangenechten, a policy adviser at think tank E3G – potentially meaning that countries are shut out if they do not meet its standards.
At the same time, “in order for the idea to fly, it will need to secure broad initial membership and be deemed legitimate,” he told The National.
Businesses also have concerns over whether the club will succeed in cajoling countries beyond the G7 to meet higher environmental standards, ensuring western steel and chemicals manufacturers do not lose out by going green.
“The initiative cannot hide the fact that the levels of ambition among potential club members are going to remain massively different for some time,” said Hans Juergen Kerkhoff, a German steel industry representative.
Even officials involved in the talks say some questions are likely to remain unanswered after the G7 summit in Germany, where they are expected to endorse the principle of a climate club.
Although Germany wants the club to talk about carbon pricing, the US and Japan are sceptical about the idea and it is unclear whether consensus can be found on that point.
Asked on Monday whether disagreement on carbon pricing could sink the project before it has launched, Mr Scholz told broadcasters that there were different ways for potential club members to reach carbon neutrality.
“The climate club is about states working closely together who are ready to become carbon neutral very quickly, by the middle of this century,” he said.
“If some countries like Germany use carbon prices and others choose different ways, the aim has to be the same.”
A group of businesses advising the G7 said in pre-summit recommendations that it welcomed Mr Scholz’s idea but that the nature of the club was not yet clearly defined.
It said the G7 must work closely together with the G20 – a body that includes Russia and which Mr Scholz hopes to circumvent by setting up the climate club – and ensure that the club is open to all.
Activists have said much would depend on the membership of Mr Scholz's club. Mr Vangenechten said countries could be tempted to join with preferential access to the club’s markets or the offer of financial support or green technology.
He said setting up such an “industrial club” to drive decarbonisation could be a precursor to a wider climate club, and would have the advantage of not weighing in on the debate about carbon pricing.
However, Mr Kerkhoff said that only a robust carbon pricing system, more likely to come via the European Union, would ensure that the German steel industry could cut carbon without losing customers.
Activists are also concerned that the G7 will water down its commitments on fossil fuels, as gas shortages linked to the war in Ukraine spur them into firing up condemned coal plants.
Germany last week announced what Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck said was the painful decision to turn back to coal despite a commitment by Mr Scholz’s government to phase it out by 2030.
Friederike Meister of advocacy group Global Citizen said it was doubtful whether an end to overseas fossil fuel financing by the end of 2022, negotiated by G7 energy ministers last month, would survive the leaders’ summit.
The Fridays for Future movement said a climate club would be "just for show" if Mr Scholz's government keeps buying more natural gas and equivocating on banning petrol cars.
But Mr Vangenechten said the wider trend was still a “hard shift” away from coal and that the G7’s ability to claim global leadership rested more on whether it would cough up finance for developing countries.
A promise of $100 billion of annual climate funding for poorer countries – first made in 2009 – has yet to be delivered, to the growing frustration of the global south.
“G7 members need to find ways to scale up finance for mitigation, adaptation and clean infrastructure from billions to trillions,” Mr Vangenechten said.
Destroyer
Director: Karyn Kusama
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Sebastian Stan
Rating: 3/5
UAE release: January 31
RESULTS
Light Flyweight (48kg): Alua Balkibekova (KAZ) beat Gulasal Sultonalieva (UZB) by points 4-1.
Flyweight (51kg): Nazym Kyzaibay (KAZ) beat Mary Kom (IND) 3-2.
Bantamweight (54kg): Dina Zholaman (KAZ) beat Sitora Shogdarova (UZB) 3-2.
Featherweight (57kg): Sitora Turdibekova (UZB) beat Vladislava Kukhta (KAZ) 5-0.
Lightweight (60kg): Rimma Volossenko (KAZ) beat Huswatun Hasanah (INA) KO round-1.
Light Welterweight (64kg): Milana Safronova (KAZ) beat Lalbuatsaihi (IND) 3-2.
Welterweight (69kg): Valentina Khalzova (KAZ) beat Navbakhor Khamidova (UZB) 5-0
Middleweight (75kg): Pooja Rani (IND) beat Mavluda Movlonova (UZB) 5-0.
Light Heavyweight (81kg): Farida Sholtay (KAZ) beat Ruzmetova Sokhiba (UZB) 5-0.
Heavyweight (81 kg): Lazzat Kungeibayeva (KAZ) beat Anupama (IND) 3-2.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
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The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
THE DETAILS
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Dir: Ron Howard
Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson
3/5
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eamana%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2010%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Karim%20Farra%20and%20Ziad%20Aboujeb%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EUAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERegulator%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDFSA%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinancial%20services%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E85%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESelf-funded%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
If you go
Flying
Despite the extreme distance, flying to Fairbanks is relatively simple, requiring just one transfer in Seattle, which can be reached directly from Dubai with Emirates for Dh6,800 return.
Touring
Gondwana Ecotours’ seven-day Polar Bear Adventure starts in Fairbanks in central Alaska before visiting Kaktovik and Utqiarvik on the North Slope. Polar bear viewing is highly likely in Kaktovik, with up to five two-hour boat tours included. Prices start from Dh11,500 per person, with all local flights, meals and accommodation included; gondwanaecotours.com
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
