Michael Kanellos

From the G-8 Summit: Vague Promises on Climate Change July 8, 2008 at 4:32 PM

The leaders of the world’s large industrialized nations today emerged from a mountaintop resort in Japan and announced that they want to start tackling that climate problem any day now.

The leaders of the Group of Eight nations–the United States, Japan, Russia, Germany, France, Britain, Canada and Italy–announced after a meeting that they have agreed to work together to halve greenhouse gas emissions by half by 2050. They also asked other nations, such as China, to join in the effort.

“This global challenge can only be met by a global response, in particular, by the contributions from all major economies,” the G-8 group said in a statement.

Beyond that, things got sort of vague. It is unclear if the G-8 means they plan to cut emissions to half of the 1990 levels, which many scientists advocate, or current levels. Some diplomats hinted it was current levels. The group also did not place any binding restrictions or programs upon themselves.

Meanwhile, leaders from China, India, Mexico and Brazil, among other emerging nations, said the G-8 needs to try harder. In other words, the old “After you, Sir” stance.

But on the bright side, it is a small step forward. The last time they met, The G-8 leaders only agreed to seriously consider the issue of greenhouse gas emissions.

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