“…China, India and other energy-guzzling developing nations on Wednesday rejected key elements of a global warming strategy embraced by President George W. Bush and leaders of wealthy nations. And the UN’s top climate official dismissed the G-8 goals as insignificant…”

By Tom Raum
Source: AP

China, India and other energy-guzzling developing nations on Wednesday rejected key elements of a global warming strategy embraced by President George W. Bush and leaders of wealthy nations. And the UN’s top climate official dismissed the G-8 goals as insignificant.

Sharp criticism emerged at the close of a summit in Toyako of the Group of Eight industrial powers that was dominated by how to address the warming Earth. The G-8 leaders invited their counterparts from fast-growing, pollution-emitting nations to sideline talks on the topic, but the session merely showcased a widening rift over the best approach.

It was the final G-8 summit of Bush’s presidency. He said “significant progress” had been made on global warming when the leaders agreed to slash greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2050 and also agreed to insist that developing nations be part of any new international agreement.

“In order to address climate change, all major economies must be at the table, and that’s what took place,” Bush said before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington.

The major economies are the world’s 16 largest-emitting nations, accounting for 80 percent of the world’s air pollution. The expanded meeting that included all of them was the first time their leaders sat down together for climate discussions.

It ended with only a vague reference to a long-term goal for reducing global emissions and a pledge for rich and poor countries to work together. Only three of the emerging powers-Indonesia, Australia and South Korea-agreed to back the 50 percent reduction target by 2050.

The five main developing nations-China, India, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa, who together represent 42 percent of the world’s population-issued a statement explaining their split with the G-8 over its emissions-reduction goals. They said they rejected the notion that all should share in the 50 percent target because it is wealthier countries that have created most of the environmental damage up to now.

“It is essential that developed countries take the lead in achieving ambitious and absolute greenhouse gas emissions reductions,” said the statement.

Chinese President Hu Jintao went a step further. While acknowledging that developing nations must act, he said “developed countries should make explicit commitments to continue to take the lead in emissions reduction.

“China’s central task now is to develop the economy and make life better for the people,” he said. “China’s per capita emission is relatively low.”

Yvo de Boer, who leads UN negotiations to forge a new climate change treaty, challenged Bush’s optimistic assessment of the meetings.

“I don’t find the outcome very significant,” de Boer said in the Netherlands. He said the target for reducing carbon emissions by 2050 mentions no base line, is not legally binding and is open to vastly different interpretations.