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G8 aims to halve greenhouse gases G8 aims to halve greenhouse gases
(about 2 hours later)
World leaders say they will aim to set a global target of cutting carbon emissions by at least 50% by 2050 in an effort to tackle global warming.World leaders say they will aim to set a global target of cutting carbon emissions by at least 50% by 2050 in an effort to tackle global warming.
It strengthens last year's G8 pledge to "seriously consider" the cuts.It strengthens last year's G8 pledge to "seriously consider" the cuts.
But the US has refused to set any interim targets for cutting emissions - and environmentalists have criticised the progress at talks as "pathetic".But the US has refused to set any interim targets for cutting emissions - and environmentalists have criticised the progress at talks as "pathetic".
The leaders have also expressed serious concerns about the threat posed to the global economy by soaring oil prices. Five of the world's biggest emerging economies said the G8 should increase its targets to more than 80% by 2050.
The price of crude oil has doubled since the last G8 summit, with highs of more than $146 (£72) a barrel. China, India, Mexico, Brazil and South Africa - who will join talks on Wednesday - also urged developed countries to commit to an interim target of a 25-40% cut below 1990 levels by 2020.
In their annual assessment of the global economy, the leaders said they remained positive about the long-term resilience of their economies, so long as countries resisted the introduction of trade barriers.
The BBC's Bridget Kendall, who is at the summit, says no explanation was offered for the underlying causes of high oil and food prices, nor concrete solutions given on how to lower them.
The G8 has also issued statements on several key issues:
  • Aid and development: Commitment to fulfil pledge to raise annual aid levels by $50bn by 2010, of which $25bn is intended for Africa
  • Global food prices: Call for countries with sufficient food stocks to release reserves to others struggling to cope with rising costs
  • Biofuels: Pledge to ensure biofuel policies are compatible with food security
'Progress''Progress'
The summit is taking place in Toyako, on the Japanese island of Hokkaido. Climate change has been one of the stickiest issues tackled at the summit in Japan, with divisions over what targets should be set and what would be expected of developing countries.
Leaders from the G8 nations - Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States - are being joined by counterparts from some 15 other countries. READ THE STATEMENT class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/08_07_08_climatechange.pdf">Environment and Climate Change [71.85KB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader href="http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html">Download the reader here
class="" href="/1/hi/sci/tech/7494891.stm">Failure to set climate world alight class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7489993.stm">G8 summit: The key issues class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7492089.stm">Japanese island locks down The BBC website's environment correspondent, Richard Black, says the joint statement, in fact, is exactly what leaders of nearly 200 countries signed up to in the original UN climate change convention agreed at the 1992 Earth Summit. He says that if re-stating a 16-year-old commitment is progress, then this is clearly a success.
The G8 statement repeats the leaders' common vision to reach the target of cutting emissions by at least 50% by 2050 - but adds that they hope to bring on board the nearly 200 other UN member states who have signed up to the climate change convention. class="bodl" href="/1/hi/sci/tech/7494891.stm">Read Richard Black's analysis
It also acknowledges that to make progress, G8 countries have to take the lead through ambitious interim goals and national plans to achieve their aim. It leaves many ends untied - including the failure to specify a baseline date.
The document also meets US concern that real progress only makes sense if it is global. An unnamed US official said the agreement represented "substantial progress". The EU wanted the G8 to confirm that the 50% cut would be measured from 1990 levels of CO2 - as agreed under the Kyoto climate protocol.
Climate change has been one of the stickiest issues tackled by the G8 leaders, with divisions over what targets should be set and what would be expected of developing countries. But when the question was raised in a press conference Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said the cuts would be measured from "current levels".
The statement leaves many ends untied, correspondents say. Our correspondent says this is significant in several ways, not least because a 50% cut from now is worth far less than a 50% cut from 1990 levels.
The EU wanted the G8 to confirm that the 50% cut would be measured from 1990 levels of CO2 - the baseline agreed under the Kyoto climate protocol.
But a start date was omitted from the document, and when the question was raised in a press conference Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said the cuts would be measured from 2000 levels - which would make the target much easier.
'No guarantees''No guarantees'
The BBC website's environment correspondent, Richard Black, says the US has moved a certain amount by agreeing that a long-term concrete target is desirable. The G8 statement repeats last year's "vision" to reach the target of cutting emissions by at least 50% by 2050 - but this time adds that the effort must be global.
While the statement may appear as a movement forward, we are concerned that it may, in effect, be a regression from what is required to... meeting the challenges of climate change Marthinus van SchalkwykSouth African Environment Minister class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7494949.stm">Reaction to G8 statement class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7493342.stm">In pictures: G8 protests It also acknowledges that to make progress, G8 countries have to take the lead through ambitious interim goals and national plans.
Reaction to G8 statementG8 summit: The key issuesCO2 emissions by country
Our correspondent says the US has moved a certain amount by agreeing that a long-term concrete target is desirable.
But, he says, the deal shows much less ambition than many climate scientists and environmental groups would want, in particular by avoiding setting short-term targets.But, he says, the deal shows much less ambition than many climate scientists and environmental groups would want, in particular by avoiding setting short-term targets.
The statement also implies that G8 members will adopt the 50% figure only if major developing economies agree to some concrete action, and it is by no means certain that they will, our correspondent says. The statement also implies that G8 members will adopt the 50% figure only if major developing economies agree to some concrete action, and it is by no means certain that they will, our correspondent adds.
Other big polluters, including China and India, will join the meeting on Wednesday. Japan's prime minister said he would press them to co-operate. South Africa's government earlier rejected the G8 agreement as a "regression", criticising the lack of firm targets to achieve sufficient cuts in emissions.
South African Environment Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk rejected the deal, which he said set a "vision" but no firm targets to achieve sufficient cuts in carbon emissions. The global environmental group WWF said the target date of 2050 was insufficient and called the lack of progress "pathetic".
He said: "While the statement may appear as a movement forward, we are concerned that it may, in effect, be a regression from what is required to... meeting the challenges of climate change."
Summit sidelinesSummit sidelines
The global environmental group WWF said the target date of 2050 was insufficient and the lack of progress "pathetic". In their assessment of the global economy released on Tuesday, the G8 leaders expressed serious concerns at the threat posed to the global economy by soaring oil prices.
One lobby group present in Hokkaido, Tear Fund, said the announcement was disappointing. READ THE STATEMENT class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/08_07_08_climatechange.pdf">Environment and Climate Change [71.85KB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader href="http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html">Download the reader here The price of crude oil has doubled since the last G8 summit, with highs of more than $146 (£72) a barrel.
The summit is also expected to release a statement on the elections in Zimbabwe, which President George W Bush on Monday described as a sham. But they said they remained positive about the long-term resilience of their economies, so long as countries resisted the introduction of trade barriers.
The G8 has issued statements on several key issues:
  • Aid and development: Commitment to fulfil earlier pledge to raise annual aid levels by $50bn by 2010, of which $25bn is intended for Africa
  • Global food prices: Call for countries with sufficient food stocks to release reserves to others struggling to cope with rising costs
  • Biofuels: Pledge to ensure biofuel policies are compatible with food security
A statement is also expected on the disputed elections in Zimbabwe, which President George W Bush on Monday described as a sham.
In their first face-to-face meeting, on the summit's sidelines, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told Britain's Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, that he wanted to normalise ties, which are at their lowest ebb since the Cold War.In their first face-to-face meeting, on the summit's sidelines, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told Britain's Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, that he wanted to normalise ties, which are at their lowest ebb since the Cold War.
The meeting came as a senior British security official told the BBC that there were "very strong indications" that the poisoning in London two years ago of the former Russian intelligence officer, Alexander Litvinenko, was backed by the state. Relations soured after Russia refused to extradite the chief suspect in the poisoning of the former Russian intelligence officer, Alexander Litvinenko, in London two years ago.
Relations between the two countries soured after Russia refused to extradite former KGB agent, Andrei Lugovoi, whom Britain accuses of carrying out the poisoning. The meeting is taking place in Toyako, on the Japanese island of Hokkaido.
Leaders from the G8 nations - Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States - are being joined by counterparts from some 15 other countries.