G8 'agrees climate deal'
Updated on 07 June 2007
World leaders have agreed to securing a post-Kyoto deal by 2009 ensuring substantial cuts in greenhouse gases, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said.
"In terms of targets, we agreed on clear language ... that recognises that (rises in) CO2 emissions must first be stopped and then followed by substantial reductions," Merkel told reporters at a G8 summit in the Baltic coast resort of Heiligendamm.
The road to Heiligendamm is quite literally littered with good intentions.
Wind turbines in the area are whirring symbols of Germany's fight against climate change. But the question dominating today's seaside summit, would the world's richest nations follow suit or merely tilt at windmills instead?
The prime minister took his final G8 bow hoping this double act could perform a memorable last turn before breaking up for good.
But would Mr Bush be specific in agreeing to the prime minister's target of a 50 per cent emissions cut for the G8? Well it didn't sound like it, not unless China and India joined in first.
Just down the Baltic coast, climate change campaigners were hoping the mad but spectacular dash into the G8 security zone would make their voice heard.
Greenpeace launched 11 speedboats until a German patrol boat rammed one and 12 activists were placed under arrest.
Those sentiments were no doubt shared by the German chancellor hoping for a breakthrough, a summit to remember. But these smiles mask deep divisions. Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy of France said to have lobbied Bush hard into changing his mind.
'Substantial' cut
The president was happy to wax lyrical about green technology and while the prime minister seemed to hang with delight on his every word, others looked less impressed.
Still, Mr Bush has moved further than he ever has in agreeing to a "substantial" cut. And tonight Chancellor Merkel had the wit to arrive in an electric golf cart bearing glad tidings.
Angela Merkel, German Chancellor, said: "We've succeeded, we managed to agree that we need obligatory reduction goals. We will seriously consider whether emissions should be cut by at least half by 2050.
"And obviously what's most important to me is that everything should be agreed within the framework of the United Nations and not just whenever...with a clear end in 2009."
But Mrs Merkel did not look happy as she spoke. And Nicolas Sarkozy put it this way: 'if you want me to say that we could have done better he said, then yes.' And by the end of the day, Mr Blair too was struggling to sound his upbeat self.
'We've succeeded, we managed to agree that we need obligatory reduction goals'Angela Merkel
The G8 will leave Heiligendamm tomorrow with a 2009 date for a global deal in emissions cuts - but the irony is that they've not agreed to those cuts right now amongst themselves.
Not so much tilting at windmills then, as an opportunity for action both taken and missed.
