C7 launches sustainable policy recommendations for peace, prosperity and transparency ahead of the G7 Summit

The Civil 7, known as the C7, is one of the official Engagement Groups of the G7 and represents positions from the international civil society. The C7 met this week in Tokyo to develop policy recommendations for the G7 ahead of the G7 leaders’ summit in Hiroshima in May.

On Wednesday 12 April, the C7 launched a Communique for 2023, which has been handed to the G7 Chair and Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida.

This year’s Communique, a collective effort of more than 700 civil society representatives representing 72 countries, is calling the G7 Heads of States to make the Hiroshima Summit in May ‘AAA’ rated – ‘Ambition, Action, Accountability’, demonstrating the fulfilment of responsibilities attached to the privileges of global political and economic powers.

The C7 noted that “the G7 has the tremendous responsibility to embrace multilateralism and international law, refuse double standards, be guided by global solidarity and justice, lead and support reforms of global financial institutions repurposing them as inclusive, effective, transparent and well-resourced multilateral instruments fit for 21st century needs and challenges, uphold the principles of democracy and human rights, and condemn racism, and encourage meaningful participation of youth in decision-making.”

Sandra Martinsone, Co-Head of Policy, Advocacy and Research at Bond who is attending the C7 meeting in Tokyo this week, said:

“The C7 is urging G7 states to demonstrate a sense of urgency and decisiveness by taking bold steps to address interlinked debt, climate, hunger and poverty crises. There are enough ideas and finance to spearhead genuine transformative change to prevent catastrophic consequences. All that we need is political will, solidarity and cooperation over competition.”

Some of the key recommendations from the C7 include:

Nuclear Disarmament

G7 leaders must unequivocally condemn any and all threats to use nuclear weapons.

Climate and Environmental Justice

Implement a phase-out of coal power in line with an overall OECD phase-out by 2030.
Commit to a fully decarbonised energy sector by 2035, ensuring the end of new public finance to all fossil fuels.

Economic Justice and Transformation

Implement national binding legislation that prevents private creditors from undermining multilateral debt restructuring agreements.
Support prompt and comprehensive debt cancellation for vulnerable developing countries that need it.
Advance rechanneling of more than $400 billion in Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) that rich countries can afford to transfer.
Recommit to the 0.7% ODA target and agree on a clear timeline to reach this target.
Support movement towards a universal UN Framework Convention on Tax and a global tax body, in the context of the process initiated by unanimously adopted UN resolution 77/244.
Re-invent the World Trade Organization as a multilateral forum in support of fair, just, sustainable and inclusive trade rules aligned with human rights, the Paris Agreement climate, just transition, leave-no-one-behind and SDG commitments.
Adopt and enforce mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence legislation, which is modelled on existing international standards.

Global Health

Increase resources and investments in Lower-Middle Income Countries (LMIC) towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC), based on primary health care (PHC).
Recognise the World Health Organization as the coordinating entity for global health. Strengthen it through sustainable financing.

Humanitarian Assistance and Conflict

Uphold their commitments to build a more power-balanced system by shifting resources and decision-making to communities, in particular organisations of persons with disabilities, older people’s associations, women-led, youth-led, and refugee-led organisations.
Shift humanitarian funding from reactive to proactive approaches, including scaling up pre-arranged humanitarian financing, such as pooled funds, that can be used in a flexible manner to proactively prevent and respond to crises.

Open and Resilient Societies

Create a Task Force to facilitate global dialogue between G7 governments with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), businesses, philanthropies and banks to identify priorities for civic space support and uninterrupted funding for civil society under threat.
Limit the use of violence and harassment against peaceful protests and assemblies and fully respect the right to peaceful protest online and offline.

Read the full list of recommendations in the C7 Communique for 2023.