G8 Ministers Compromise On 2050 Climate Target

by Rob Walker | May 26, 2008 at 08:44 am

1054 views | 2 Recommendations | 16 comments

After much discussion at this week's G8 environment ministers meeting, a compromise deal was reached to halve those countries' emissions by 2050.

Well, that's only 42 years from now, after all, I'm sure my potential grandkids can enjoy it.

Environmental groups are up in arms over the decision, which would see a mid-term target of 2020 for beginning to meet their goals. Under attack isn't just the extremely long date, the actual targets themselves and the time it takes are facing heavy criticism.

Not to mention the complete inability to enforce any of those actions by that date.

Does the proposal go far enough? Vote here.

Differing views on the need for intermediate emissions reductiontargets emerged over the weekend (24-26 May) between G8 environmentministers, who pledged to work on a deal to halve greenhouse gasemissions by 2050 during an upcoming summit in July.

"We strongly expressed the will to try to come to an agreement at the Toyako summit so we can have a target of at least halving emissions by 2050," said Japanese Environment Minister Ichiro Kamoshita at a press conference during the meeting, held in Kobe, Japan.
The G8 countries – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the UK and the United States – are scheduled to meet from 6-8 July in Toyako (Hokkaido), Japan. Climate change will top the agenda of the summit, and leaders have said they will try to use the occasion to give a boost to ongoing international climate change talks.

But "without a mid-term target, a mandatory mid-term target for developed countries, it's going to be very complicated to get an agreement" at key UN-led climate change negotiations in Copenhagen in December 2009, said Matthias Machnig, Germany's secretary of state for the environment.

Environment ministers from top industrial countries have called for an agreement on cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2050.

Ministers want developed nations to take the lead in battling global warming.

The Group of Eight nations, aiming at preparing for action on climate change at the G8 summit in Japan in July, also acknowledged calls for mid-term emissions reduction targets for 2020.

The three-day meetings of G8 ministers -- from Japan, the US, Germany, France, Italy, Canada, Britain and Russia -- and observer countries in Kobe, Japan, also strove to revive momentum for wider UN-led talks on a new global warming pact.

Under pressure to boost talks on a new global warming pact, Group of Eight environment ministers Monday endorsed slashing greenhouse gas emissions in half by mid-century, but failed to agree on much more contentious near-term targets.

The three-day meeting in Kobe was dominated by calls from the U.N., European countries and

Environment chiefs from the world's top industrial countries pledged "strong political will" Monday toward cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2050, declaring that developed nations should take the lead in battling global warming.
The statement by ministers from the Group of Eight nations, however, stopped short of pledging firm commitments for mid-century or a midterm goal for 2020, which many countries argue are crucial to saving the planet from environmental crisis provoked by rising temperatures.

Aimed at setting the stage for decisive action at the G8 summit in Toyako, Japan, in July, the joint communique also recognized rich nations' obligation to provide technology and financing to help developing countries fight global warming.

Foreign aid workers headed for the cyclone-ravagedIrrawaddy delta on Monday to see whether army-ruled Myanmar willhonour a promise made by its top general to give them freedom ofmovement.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper committed Canada to become an energy superpower at the 2006 G8 Summit in St. Petersburg, Russia. A better vision for Canada would be to become a sustainable, environmentally sound energy superpower. In any event, a vision without a plan is but a dream. It's not about walking away from fossil fuels and closing down coal plants. It's about learning to work with what nature has given us, without using the environment as the dump for waste products.

0 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend This comment thread is now closed

Rachel Nixon

at 09:08 on May 26th, 2008

2050 seems so far away, it makes me wonder what the point is. Governments have gone back and forth on greenhouse gases for years now, and nothing ever seems to happen that will make a difference within the next few years.

Gilbert R.

at 11:05 on May 26th, 2008

This is an offshore factory (of some sort) right off of Bayshore in Tampa, FL. The grit and dirt accompanying the image signifies the filth that is polution.

Gilbert R. has contributed a photo to this story.

Aizat Sabri

at 12:26 on May 26th, 2008

One of the main global challenges from our own reality. It be sure seems nothing, but in the end this 'nothing' could turn out to be our life-threatening..

Aizat Sabri has contributed a photo to this story.

Udri

at 17:12 on May 26th, 2008

Caribbean is not always an idyllic paradise. Near a coral beach, you can find a concrete factory in Mochima National Park (VE).

Udri has contributed a photo to this story.

Dr. Tarak N Khan

at 18:10 on May 26th, 2008

Neelakurinji (Stobilanthes kunthiana), a native herb, blossoms once in every 12 years. I visited Eravikulam National Park during the last blossoming year, 2006. I was afraid to witness huge number of visitors along with almost 8 km long que of cars blocking the road, creating huge noise and heavy pollution. The area is the home for endangered Nilgiri Tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius)and is vulnerable enough due to tea plantation and other imprudent human activities. It appeared to me a festival in which thousands of people assemabled in a small vulnerable area many of which were not aware of the importance of wildlife or biodiversity. They created disturbance to the wildlife, damaged blossoming Neelakurinji, made the National Park dirty by their 'throwing-away' culture. This festival continued for more than a month. The forest personnels and NGOs working there tried their best to manage the situation, but they were simply outnumbered by the huge tourist load. In my opinion, there must have a control to such activities. Otherwise, we will well lose such an important ecosystem.

Dr. Tarak N Khan has contributed a photo to this story.

LensOfVisionExpression

at 18:29 on May 26th, 2008

This photo was taken during my one week photography workshop with the children from La Chureca, Managua's landfill. The children here call the landfill their home and they live off of the refuse there by looking for food and recylclables. Our website is currently under construction, but here's where you can find us:
lensofvisionexpression.org

LensOfVisionExpression has contributed a photo to this story.

coloured glass

at 18:55 on May 26th, 2008

pollution. it is not as bad as it looks in the photograph. it was just the evening sun colouring the sky in the specific tone.
but still. our requirement of commodities are increasing. and along with it are the pressure on our declining resources. no matter which type of renewable energy we find, there will always be unwanted waste products somewhere in the cycle that will be a burden to our future generations and to mother earth.
the way i see it, the only way we can help is by simplifying our lifestyles, by reducing our requirements and address our needs, and by working and enduring a bit more than we are doing right now.
and we have to start acting. RIGHT NOW.

coloured glass has contributed a photo to this story.

slc_jm

at 20:12 on May 26th, 2008

Inversion & pollution in Salt Lake City's valley. Salt Lake City tends to have poor air quality especially during winter months.

slc_jm has contributed a photo to this story.

slyronit

at 21:05 on May 26th, 2008

The photo I have posted is in the heart of Kolkata, India..

charlie81

at 22:35 on May 26th, 2008

This image was taken on the arrival to china from mongolia. Just after enjoying the mongolian astonishing green fields, I found this.

charlie81 has contributed a photo to this story.

azzayindia

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 22:59 on May 26th, 2008

Rob Walker, I like this story. It's good stuff.

RiddimRyder

at 03:39 on May 27th, 2008

My photos are taken from the Escarpment overlooking downtown Hamilton. The city built & ruined by Stelco.

Ashley Elizabeth

at 10:55 on May 27th, 2008

As i was riding in the car on my way to the Bok Gardens in Lake Wales, Florida, I noticed this juicing factory ( And all of the Pollution It Was Emitting) and decided to just take a snap of it.

Ashley Elizabeth has contributed a photo to this story.

drmahesh

at 03:49 on May 28th, 2008

Thanx...Dr.Mahesh Yadav

dr mahesh yadav has contributed a photo to this story.

stcroix1

at 19:15 on June 23rd, 2008

Just a smoggy day in Denver. When the wind does not blow, or there is an inversion, Denver must smell itself!

stcroix1 has contributed a photo to this story.

kvitlauk

at 03:52 on June 26th, 2008

Smog covering the streets and buildings of Ürümqi, Xinjiang Province, P.R. of China in January 2006. The sun can only be seen through the smog as a white dot below the power lines.

kvitlauk has contributed a photo to this story.