Using the SDGs to Realize the G7’s “Green Revolution that Creates Jobs”

G7 leaders have already accepted many important concepts related to the environment and sustainability. In 2021, the G7 agreed to “protect our planet by supporting a green revolution that creates jobs.” However, the challenge is that these announcements are mostly general statements of principle rather than presaging concrete actions, and any specific commitments tend to be either low ambition or not well-implemented. The sustainable development goals (SDGs) also have been insufficiently highlighted by the G7. This policy brief explains how a “green revolution that creates jobs” can be visualized through the SDGs. Among the SDGs, the key is Target 8.2 on decent work. Targets to achieve a “green economic transformation“ include those on sustainable consumption and production; decoupling the economy from environmental degradation; renewable energy and energy efficiency; sustainable agriculture, transport, and buildings; integrated water management; sanitation; and regulating unsustainable fishing and fishing subsidies. These objectives can create a wide range of jobs as well as contributing to environmental goals and social priorities such as improved health, food security, poverty eradication, and greater equality and inclusiveness.  The G7 countries should act on the concept of a “green revolution which creates jobs,” which was adopted in the G7 Cornwall Summit in 2021 and make stronger efforts to implement the “green economic transformation” targets in the SDGs. G7 countries should also put more emphasis on creating jobs to implement related SDG targets. A “green revolution” or “green economic transformation” working group should be established to develop concrete implementation measures. To ratchet up the level of ambition, the G7 countries should annually commit to voluntary national actions towards the implementation of their collective commitments. The G7 should incorporate the SDGs into their communiques, especially the environmental dimensions. This will help to create clearer linkages with existing related international cooperation processes and increase the overall level of persuasiveness. G7 countries should expand the scope of monitoring their commitments to include environment and sustainability commitments, especially focusing on the SDGs.