At the G7, the US wants no mention of the words 'climate change'

In J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, characters use elaborate phrases to avoid naming the evil wizard Lord Voldemort, fearing that speaking his name might make him appear. “He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named” looms over them, his silence making him even more threatening. The White House, where skepticism on the issue prevails, seems to be taking a similar approach to climate change.

The G7, currently chaired by France, commissioned a report on the economic consequences of “extreme weather events.” Finance ministers and central bank governors from the seven countries (the US, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Japan) discussed it during their meeting in Paris on May 18 and 19. The talks covered droughts, heatwaves, wildfires and hurricanes.

The catastrophic consequences in terms of inflation or gross domestic product (GDP) are clearly quantified. Yet, in the joint communiqué issued by the G7 finance ministers on Tuesday, May 19, the words-that-must-not-be-named, “climate change,” appear nowhere. The ministers “acknowledge” the study and “appreciate efforts to strengthen resilience directly related to extreme weather events.” But the underlying reason for placing this topic on the agenda is never stated outright.

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