Macron Bends to Trump: 'Climate Change' Axed from G7 Papers as 20,000 Swiss Protesters Rage

The annual Group of Seven (G7) summit is underway in the French resort town of Évian-les-Bains, bringing together leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States [172977]. The agenda includes the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, trade disputes, tensions with China, and global economic challenges [172969]. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also invited to attend a working session, raising the possibility of a sideline meeting with Trump [172166].

However, the summit has been overshadowed by two stark developments. First, Macron has dropped the phrase “climate change” from all official G7 documents, a decision aimed at avoiding upsetting Trump, who has questioned climate science [173139]. The move comes as France experiences record-breaking heatwaves, with the last week of May being the hottest on record [173139]. The omission highlights a growing gap between political messaging and environmental reality.

Second, on Thursday, one day before the summit’s start, thousands of protesters gathered on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland, just across from Évian. Organizers said at least 20,000 people joined the demonstration, many wearing T-shirts and carrying signs reading "Fuck Trump" [173196]. One protester, 53-year-old Karine, stated: "Our governments are trying to please Trump. But you should not negotiate with a man like that, who only thinks of himself" [173196].

Security in the region has been tightened, with 20,000 police and soldiers deployed and warships scanning Lake Geneva for armed drones [172543]. The biggest source of worry for organizers remains Trump’s mood, as his relationships with European allies have been tense since he launched the Iran war with Israel in February without consulting them [172977]. Trump is expected to provide more details on a reported U.S.-Iran deal at the summit [172977].