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G8 reaches dissapointing climate change deal |
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Leaders of the eight most industrialized nations have pledged to substantially cut global greenhouse gas emissions, although no concrete targets have been fixed.
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2007-06-07
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"We agreed... that CO2 emissions must first be stopped and then followed by substantial reductions," said the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, host of this year's meeting. Despite a great deal of disagreement among the political leaders on the issue of climate change during G8 negotiations in Heiligendamm, Germany, leaders now agreed to take "strong and early" action and hold further talks within a UN framework.
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German and EU targets dismissed
During the past months, Germany has pushed hard to include a goal in the G8 text that global emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) would need to be cut by 50% below 1990 levels by 2050. Supported by the UK but facing resistance from the U.S., China and India, Merkel had to lower her expectations, admitting that "it is clear that the Europeans' definitive objectives cannot be shared immediately by the rest of the world."
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Already on Wednesday Merkel had told reporters that "what counts is whether, at the end of this Summit, we have taken a step further".
U.S. not ready for commitments
The U.S. has been reluctant to any concrete emission reduction goals so far, although President Bush said that the U.S. "will be actively involved in, or taking the lead in a post-Kyoto agreement." For this purpose Bush plans to call together the leading 15 GHG emitters - led by the U.S., China, Russia and India – to agree on cuts beyond 2012 by the end of 2008.
Background
The Kyoto Protocol, requiring all G8 Members to reduce emissions of six GHG by 5.2%, will expire in 2012. Over the past months, international focus has been on forging a consensus on a new reduction framework replacing the world's first GHG emissions treaty.
Next steps
The G8 summit will end on Friday after three days of informal and formal meetings between the leaders of Germany, the UK, the U.S., Russia, Japan, France, Italy, and Canada.
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More information:
 NEW: Chair's Summary G8, 8 June 2007 (46 KB)
› Official website G8 2007
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