G8 and Climate Change

After days of negotiating and months of anticipation the G8 countries (US, Germany, UK, Japan, Russia, Italy, France, Canada) they released a document that they will set an agreement for the time after the Kyoto Protocol (which sets emission limits until 2012) runs out in a few years time. No actual deadlines were set (the G8 meeting is an informal one, so no regulations are set there) but they will be discussed in Bali, when the environmental ministers meet in December 2007.

"Combating climate change is one of the major challenges for mankind and it has the potential to seriously damage our natural environment and the global economy. We noted with concern the recent IPCC report and its findings. We are convinced that urgent and concerted action is needed and accept our responsibility to show leadership in tackling climate change. In setting a global goal for emissions reductions in the process we have agreed in Heiligendamm involving all major emitters, we will consider seriously the decisions made by the European Union, Canada and Japan which include at least a halving of global emissions by 2050." (from the Chair's Summary of the Heiligendamm meeting)

SustainaBee says: Considering that before the G8 meeting in Heiligendamm, Germany the United States were alsmost surely set on dis-agreeing with any climate change pacts, this can be considered - as the host Angela Merkel said - a "huge success". But we have to see until the end of the year to see if words will turn into action.