(mp3) G8 will resume global warming talks in December

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Blair, Bush and Chirac
The final statement of the G8 summit was read by British Primer Minister Tony Blair today, confirming that a new meeting will be held in Montreal, Canada, in December.




The meeting is planned to set the grounds on which the world’s richest countries, will deal with global warming under the post-Kyoto era.




The main ecologist organizations which are closing following the G8 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, were disappointed about the results of the summit, because there was no progress in tackling greenhouse gas emissions or promoting renewable energies.




Most conclusions of the agreements reached by the G8 on global warming underline the importance of the “change of attitude” shown by the US, since at first it was reluctant to admit the direct human incidence in global warming.




However, the focus on the US, leaves out the fact that there was no progress in tackling greenhouse gas emissions.




The president of environmentalist organization Friends of the Earth International, Tony Juniper said this is a typical move of US’ modus operandi: “First they say they won’t give in, then they compromise a little, so that in the end the other countries praise their effort. It is the same old technique”.




French president Jacques Chirac, admitted that US’ change of mind enabled to issue the final statement in which human incidence in the increasing deterioration of the ozone layer is recognized. However, when evaluating the agreement reached, Chirac admitted “it doesn't go as far as France had hoped”.




The talks will resume in December in Montreal.




This is fresh air for the commitments which are mere statements and are not translated into specific actions.




Neogtiations to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, which could have entered into effect last February after Russia signed it, are a clear example of that commitment.




The US has never approved the protocol despite being the world’s biggest grenhouse gas emitter, and one of the main responsible for global warming. It has already said it will not accept any legally-binding agreement that forces him to reduce their emissions.




Juniper said : “The Bush administration has again done its best to derail international action to tackle climate change, but this is by no means the end. US has many good initiatives to tackle climate change. The president will have to face a trial, it’s just a matter of time”, he added.




Environmentalist organization finally said the statement did not add anything new and that it failed to agree on a committment to take action. He also queried the role of a separate dialogue process outside of the Kyoto Protocol and the United Nations (UN) Climate Change Convention, as the US wants.