G8 Leaders Pledge To Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The G8 members – Russia etc – pledged to cut down their emissions of greenhouse gases by 50 per cent by 2050, at the recently concluded G8 summit in Toyako in northern Japan. While this commitment is applause-worthy, it has come under criticism as it is vague (for example, it does not state whether the emissions will be cut down 50 per cent from the 2000 levels or the 1990 levels) and unclear about the roadmap for cutting emissions by 2050. Moreover, the G8 leaders did not announce any short term goals or numerical targets for reducing emissions in the coming years. Without these targets, it is uncertain how the G8 will achieve any significant emissions reductions.

The major development at the Summit however was the participation of USA in the climate change talks. This is the first time that President Bush has publicly supported cuts on emissions of greenhouse gases. With even President Bush, who has been a long-time opponent of reducing emissions, agreeing on cuts, it is obvious that the next President of America will promulgate serious laws on tackling climate change both domestically and internationally.

The other main development was that developing countries such as China and India agreed to take emissions-caps in the long term, a stance that they have been resisting as climate change has been caused substantially by the developed world who should take the onus for mitigation.

With these two main developments, the stage is now set for the next round of climate change negotiations which will be held in Poznan, Poland, in December this year,.