L'AQUILA, Italy, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Leaders from the
Group of Eight (G8) major industrialized countries agreed on Wednesday to limit
global warming to within two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, but
lowered their target of halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel is
pictured at the opening of a round table session at the G8 summit in
L'Aquila July 8, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
"We recognize the broad scientific view that the
increase in global average temperature above pre-industrial levels ought not to
exceed two degrees Celsius," the leaders said in a declaration concluding their
first-day summit talks in the central Italian town of L'Aquila.
Scientists had warned that there would be serious
climate consequences if the world temperature rise exceeds the threshold of two
degrees Celsius.
The United States has been reluctant to accept the
two-degree limit, a goal strongly supported by the European Union (EU). This is
the first time the G8 leaders accepted this political goal in the global fight
against climate change.
The G8 leaders also said they are ready to attain the
goal of reducing global emissions of greenhouse gases by at least 50 percent by
2050, together with others, but without specifying the baseline.
"We reiterate our willingness to share with all
countries the goal of achieving at least a 50 percent reduction of global
emissions by 2050, recognizing that this implies that global emissions need to
peak as soon as possible and decline thereafter," they said.
The EU has been pushing for a reduction by half from
the base year of 1990, while the United States wants to use as the reference the
emission level of 2005, which is higher than that of 1990.
A helicopter is seen flying above the
makeshift media village for 2009 G8 summit in L'Aquila, Italy, July 7,
2009. (Xinhua/Zeng Yi) Photo Gallery>>>
It had been expected that Washington would make a
concession, but the declaration left the issue open.
As part of their long-term effort, the G8 leaders
also supported the goal of developed countries reducing greenhouse gas emissions
in aggregate by 80 percent or more by 2050. However, they said that the
reduction should be comparable to 1990 or more recent years.
In a subtle wording, the G8 leaders said "they will
undertake robust aggregate and individual mid-term reductions, taking into
account that baselines may vary and that efforts need to be comparable."
The mid-term reduction usually refers to the target
by 2020, which would mean a more imminent burden for the G8 countries.
The joint stance on climate change would be submitted
at a meeting on Thursday, which is extended to include the five emerging
economies of Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa.
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, the host,
signaled a showdown with the emerging economies.
"Europe and the United States are in favor of cutting
carbon dioxide emissions and will adopt a united stance vis-a-vis the emerging
economies with a view to arriving at a pledge into which everyone must enter,"
he told reporters after the first-day meeting.
While being vague about targets for themselves, the
G8 leaders took a tougher position against emerging economies, adding doubt to
what can be achieved on Thursday.
"Major emerging economies need to undertake
quantifiable actions to collectively reduce emissions significantly below
business-as-usual by a specified year," the declaration said.
Meanwhile, leaders of the five emerging economies,
also called the Group of Five (G5), met separately on Wednesday.
In a joint statement, they urged developed countries
to commit themselves to ambitious and comparable quantified emission reduction
targets by reducing their emissions in aggregate by at least 40 percent below
their 1990 levels by 2020.
Reaffirming the principles of common but
differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, the G5 leaders
prodded the G8 countries to "provide measurable, reportable and verifiable
technology, financing and capacity building to support and enable developing
countries to take nationally appropriate mitigation actions in the context of
sustainable development."
The G8 summit in Italy is considered crucial to a new
global pact on climate change to replace the current Kyoto Protocol, which
expires in 2012.
Governments are scheduled to meet in Copenhagen,
Denmark, at the end of this year, hoping to wrap up the negotiations.
BONN, July 8 (Xinhua) -- The UN climate chief says
the leaders of the developed and major developing countries gathered at the G8
summit should show leadership in the fight against climate change.
"These are the countries that can make differences.
These are the leaders that can make differences," Yvo de Boer, the executive
secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), said
Tuesday during an interview with Xinhua. Full story
L'AQUILA, Italy, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Leaders from the
Group of Eight (G8) industrialized countries began their summit Wednesday, with
the economic crisis and climate change at the top of their three-day agenda.
The summit started with a working luncheon, with the
bulk of the first-day discussion generally focusing on the troubled global
economy. Full story
L'AQUILA, Italy, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of the
Group of Eight (G8) and Group of Five (G5) are expected to agree here at their
summit to conclude the eight-year Doha round of trade talks next year, according
to a draft communique obtained by Xinhua.
"Leaders commit to reaching an ambitious and balanced
conclusion to the Doha round in 2010, consistent with its mandate, building on
progress already made on modalities," said the draft for Thursday's meeting of
the G8 plus G5. Full story
ROME, July 7 (Xinhua) -- World leaders are expected
to pledge 10 to 15 billion U.S. dollars to help feed the poorest people in the
developing countries at a summit this week, Italian Prime Minister Silvio
Berlusconi said on Tuesday.
"We hope to approve an initiative for food security
in the world. We will approve about 10 to 15 billion U.S. dollars for all the
people in the world who are suffering from hunger," the Italian premier told a
news conference. Full story
Security members guard on the road to
the makeshift media village for 2009 G8 summit in L'Aquila, Italy, July 7,
2009. Media personnel from across the world began to swarm into the media
village in L'Aquila, the quake-stricken capital of central Italy's Abruzzo
region where 2009 G8 summit and other related international meetings will
be held from July 8 to 10. (Xinhua/Zeng Yi) Photo Gallery>>>
L'AQUILA, Italy, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Leaders from the
Group of Eight (G8) industrialized countries and emerging economies are expected
to make a new push for reform of the global financial system when they meet for
a summit as from Wednesday.
While the venue for the summit, namely the Italian
town of L'Aquila, is an earthquake-stricken area which is still under
reconstruction, the global financial system and the world economy also need
rebuilding amid the financial crisis. Full story
L'AQUILA, Italy, July 8 (Xinhua) -- A total of 14
developing countries have been invited to participate in the upcoming G8 summit,
marking the increasing influence of developing countries on the so-called rich
club.
Italy wanted to make the Group of Eight (G8) more
relevant by strengthening its relations with international groups, said a senior
Italian diplomat. Full story
