Europe Features

Unbridgeable divide on climate measures at Heiligendamm

Jun 6, 2007, 13:19 GMT

Heiligendamm, Germany - The new initiative put forward by President George W Bush may have brought clarity regarding the US position on curbing global warming, but it has also effectively sunk German hopes of agreeing firm targets at the G8 summit in Heiligendamm.

Below is a summary of the varying positions staked out by the major players before their leaders sit down to discuss the issue in the scenic northern German resort:

- US: Bush wants the 15 countries that cause most atmospheric pollution, and thus global warming, to set a long-term global goal for reducing greenhouse gases by the end of 2008, drawing China and India in particular into the process.

The Bush initiative sets no clear targets for cutting emissions or for putting a limit on global warming. It also gives no role to the United Nations, although it does call for a new framework on greenhouse gas emissions for when the UN's Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012.

- Germany: Conference host Angela Merkel has put climate change at the top of the agenda, and the German chancellor now faces the real possibility of booking a failure when the summit ends on Friday.

As current holder of the EU presidency, Germany nudged the EU to adopt ambitious fixed targets at a Brussels summit in March that committed the 27-member bloc to a 20-per-cent cut in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 2020 from 1990 levels and to a 30-per-cent cut if other nations follow suit.

Following the report in May by the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the EU position is that developed countries should collectively reduce their emissions by 60 to 80 per cent by 2050 compared to 1990.

Merkel has offered a cautious welcome to Bush's initiative, but this cannot hide the gaping divide between the two approaches.

- Britain, France, Italy: The other EU members in the G8 are broadly backing the German chancellor. British Prime Minister Tony Blair, although a staunch Bush ally on most global issues, explicitly called in the run-up to Heiligendamm for the setting of clear targets and a clear UN role.

- Japan: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe this week committed Japan to long-term goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, setting a target of a 50-per-cent cut from current levels by 2050 - slightly less ambitious than the EU's.

But Abe also cautioned against placing too much emphasis on binding targets, saying that a consensus was more important in achieving an effective system for the period after Kyoto.

- Canada: Canada has been unable to meet the Kyoto targets it committed itself to in 1997. Prime Minister Stephen Harper now aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 60 to 70 per cent from current levels - a target less ambitious than the EU's.

- Russia: The Kyoto provisions, based on 1990 levels, were easy for Russia to meet, as its economy went into decline through the 1990s.

But with gas and oil exports fuelling a boom, Russia's political leaders are in no mind to adopt measures that might hinder economic growth. Russia thus finds itself firmly in the same camp as the major developing economies China and India.

- Outreach Group: These five countries - Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa - join the summit on the final day but have no formal input into the closing document. As developing countries they are exempt from the Kyoto provisions.

China is set to pass the US soon as the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, and India is not far behind. The US is determined to include these countries in any future international agreement on curbing emissions.

China sees climate change and development as inextricably linked and insists the developed world take full responsibility for the emissions of the past.

National Development Minister Ma Kai believes it would be unfair to set binding emissions targets that ignore development levels, as these targets would hinder development in poorer countries.

But China has committed to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2 per cent a year to 2010.

For India too, development takes priority, while Brazil can point to its large-scale use of renewable energy through biofuels made mainly from sugar cane.

© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur


COMMENT

blog comments powered by Disqus

Latest Headlines in Europe

Older Talkback

Follow Us

Follow M&C on Pinterest

Search

Custom Search

Also Check Out

Justin Bieber accused of assault

Justin Bieber accused of assault
Justin Bieber has been accused of assaulting a photographer in California after a physical altercation allegedly broke out when the paparazzo attempted to take pictures of the singer and his girlfriend Selena Gomez. ... more

Britney Spears' fiance makes romantic video for her

Britney Spears fiance makes romantic video for her
Britney Spears' fiancee Jason Trawick made a gushing video to tell the singer how proud he is of her US 'X Factor' debut in Austin, Texas, last week. ... more

Gary Barlow is boring

Gary Barlow is boring
Gary Barlow says his family are pleased he has been working on the Diamond Jubilee concert and single - because it has given him something new to talk about. ... more

Demi Moore meets up with Ashton Kutcher

Demi Moore meets up with Ashton Kutcher
Estranged couple Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher have reportedly met up with each other twice in the last month to discuss the future of their relationship. ... more

Kim Kardashian accuses British Airways of stealing?

Kim Kardashian accuses British Airways of stealing?
Kim Kardashian has accused British Airways of stealing from her baggage after a recent trip to the UK. ... more

Justin Bieber buys $6.5m home

Justin Bieber buys $6.5m home
Justin Bieber has splashed out $6.5 million on his very first home, a seven-bedroom mansion in the Californian suburb of Calabasas. ... more

will.i.am splashes out £15k on laptops for talented youngsters

will.i.am splashes out £15k on laptops for talented youngsters
Will.i.am spent £15,000 on computers for members of a youth music project in London after they impressed him with their talent. ... more

Rochelle Wiseman and Una Healy party on hen night

Rochelle Wiseman and Una Healy party on hen night
Rochelle Wiseman and Una Healy celebrated their forthcoming weddings to Marvin Humes and Ben Foden with a joint hen party on Saturday night (26.05.12). ... more

Justin Timberlake celebrates engagement to Jessica Biel

Justin Timberlake celebrates engagement to Jessica Biel
Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel celebrated their engagement with a star-studded party at Estee Stanley's Californian home on Saturday (26.05.12). ... more

Jennifer Lopez reunites with Marc on stage

Jennifer Lopez reunites with Marc on stage
Jennifer Lopez and estranged husband Marc Anthony reunited on stage over the weekend at their live finale of their TV talent show in Las Vegas. ... more