G8-Gipfel

G8 leaders have agreed to a vague declaration on climate change at this week's summit (8-10 July) in Italy. Commenting on the outcome, Greens/EFA Co-President Rebecca Harms said:

"Despite all the bluster, the outcome of this G8 summit falls short of expectations for progressing the UN climate talks. While it is welcome that the leaders of the world's richest countries have acknowledged the scientific recommendation to prevent warming of more than 2ºC, this will only be achieved if the large emitters collectively agree to medium-term (until 2020) emissions reduction targets which are consistent with that goal.

"We are running out of time to prevent dangerous climate change and we are running out of time to agree an UN climate deal. A vague declaration on distant targets is no substitute for the urgently-needed action. Ill-defined, non-binding emissions reduction goals set 41 years into the future simply fall short of what is needed at this stage.

"Without urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the short- to medium-term, the 2ºC warming limit will be surpassed. Industrialised countries need to take the finger out and commit to domestic medium-term (until 2020) emissions reduction targets in line with the recommendations of the scientific consensus (IPCC). A pledge to co-finance the necessary reductions in developing countries must be in addition to domestic efforts and not simply a means of offsetting domestic reductions. This commitment is urgently needed, if the full architecture of the post-2012 climate deal is to be worked out by the UN climate summit in December in Copenhagen (COP15)."