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Gleneagles, Scotland (pte041/08.07.2005/16:20) - World leaders who are gathered at the G8 summit http://www.g8.gov.uk/ . in Gleneagles, Scotland, have acknowledged the need to take action in reducing greenhouse emissions, but have been unable to set any clear targets.
Germany's top negotiator Bernd Pfaffenbach said on Thursday that the G8 leaders have acknowledged that human activity was a significant contributor to global warming. However the Kyoto accord on cutting greenhouse gasses, which is the best-known part of the UN framework on climate change, was only mentioned in passing.
"Even if it does not go as far as we would have liked, it has one essential virtue in my eyes - that is, to re-establish a dialogue and cooperation between the Kyoto seven and the United States on a subject of the highest importance," French President Jacques Chirac said.
A draft statement was signed by all eight participant members, saying that they would "act with determination and urgency" to reach common goals that included reducing greenhouse gases, but offered no concrete plan of action.
Environmentalists voiced concern about the draft, saying that more specific goals needed to be addressed.
Greenpeace director Stephen Tindale said: "President Bush is isolated from the 12 other countries who have all emphasised the need for tough targets to reduce CO2 emissions," referring to the participation of South Africa, Mexico, India, China and Brazil in some of the G8 meetings.
What is important now, say G8 leaders, is to promote work on more efficient and cleaner energy use, and also to promote the transfer of new technology to developing countries, and to "launch a dialogue on climate change, clean energy and sustainable development".
Tony Juniper, director of Friends of the Earth, criticised the Bush administration, saying that it had "again done its best to derail international action to tackle climate change".
"Even if there was no progress here, there has been a big impact on public awareness," he added.
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