G8 leaders agree climate deal
Thursday, 07 Jun 2007 15:00
George Bush and Angela Merkel at the G8
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Leaders of the world's eight most industrialised countries have agreed steps to combat climate change.
German chancellor Angela Merkel, who is hosting the G8 summit in Heiligendamm, said the leaders agreed this afternoon that "CO2 [carbon dioxide] emissions must first be stopped and then followed by substantial reductions".
Earlier this week a deal had seemed potentially unlikely due to hesitancy from the US for CO2 target reductions to be fixed.
Although specific numerical targets have yet to be agreed British prime minister Tony Blair described today's agreement as a "major, major step forward".
Earlier this week the US president George Bush said that he had a "strong desire" to reach a climate pact.
Speaking after the agreement this afternoon, Mr Blair emphasised how important it was that both developing and developed countries will be involved in the deal.
"There will be consideration given seriously to the goal of halving emissions by 2050," he said.
"The possibility is here for the first time of getting a global deal on climate change with substantial cut in emissions and everyone in the deal, which is the only way that we're going to get the radical action on the climate that we need."
Precise cuts will not be agreed in the next two days, Mr Blair added, but he drew attention to the progress made in the last two years since the G8 summit at Gleneagles.
"I am both surprised and very pleased at how we've come in the past few years," he added.
"This situation is now transformed from two years ago."
The other major issue dominating this year's G8 summit is the diplomatic row over the positioning of Russian missiles.
Mr Blair has met with Russian president Vladimir Putin today to discuss the issue.