The annual G8 Summit of industrialized country leaders has resulted in an agreement on the need for a long-term vision for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The Summit, which was held from 7-9 July 2008, in Toyako on the island of Hokkaido, Japan, agreed on a declaration that undertook to “consider and adopt… the goal of achieving at least 50% reduction of global emissions by 2050.” The declaration stressed that this goal should be shared with all parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and considered and adopted by all of these countries under the ongoing UNFCCC negotiations. The G8 declaration also urged an ambitious global post-2012 climate regime in which “all major economies would need to commit to meaningful mitigation actions to be bound in the international agreement to be negotiated by the end of 2009.”
The declaration recognized that what developed economies do will differ from what developing economies will do, adding that “each of us [in the G8] will implement ambitious economy-wide mid-term goals in order to achieve absolute emissions reductions.” The declaration highlights sectoral approaches, energy efficiency, clean energy, adaptation, technology, finance, market-based mechanisms, and tariff reduction. It also notes growing interest in nuclear power, research and development, and the World Bank’s Clean Investment Funds, and endorses the “positive contribution” of the Major Economies Leaders Meeting to the UNFCCC (see related story).
While some analysts welcomed the announcement and the apparent shift of the US position on a long-term goal, activists and some developing country politicians expressed disappointment with the outcome, arguing that it could have been stronger.
As well as climate change and energy issues, the G8 also addressed questions of the global economy and financial markets, development and Africa, political issues such as the situation in Zimbabwe and a number of other countries, and counter-terrorism.
On development issues, leaders renewed their commitment to work with developing countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Discussions focused on health, water and education and resulted in support for a “Toyako Framework for Action.”
On Africa, leaders discussed rising food prices, noting a commitment of over US$10 billion since January 2008 to address this “multifaceted and structural crisis.” They also issued a special statement on Global Food Security that included a commitment to ensuring the compatibility of policies for the sustainable production and use of biofuels with food security. In addition, the G8 leaders established an Experts Group to monitor the implementation of commitments in this area. The Experts Group will work with the High-Level Task Force on the Global Food Crisis that is led by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and with other relevant stakeholders. In addition, the G8 declaration agrees to hold a G8 agricultural ministers’ meeting and review progress on this issue at the G8 Summit in 2009.
Links to further information
Chair’s Summary of the G8 Leaders’ Summit, 9 July 2008
G8 Summit Official Website, July 2008
BBC news article, 9 July 2008
BBC news article, 8 July 2008
CNN news article, 9 July 2008
Greenpeace press release, 9 July 2008
Reuters news article, 9 July 2008
The Toronto Star news article, 9 July 2008