G8 summit to test resolve on economy, climate change, food security

• Source: Xinhua
• [18:16 July 07 2009]
• Comments

 TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE

 2009 is a crucial year in the global efforts to address climate change, culminating in the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December.

 The "Bali Roadmap," reached in December 2007 during a U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change meeting, set a two-year deadline for a global agreement on climate change.

 The roadmap also envisioned a new draft climate treaty at the Copenhagen meeting to succeed the first phase of Kyoto Protocol which is to expire in 2012.

 However, with the deadline approaching, a ratifiable treaty is not yet in sight.

 The L'Aquila gathering is the only G8 summit before the Copenhagen meeting. The passive attitude of some developed nations is blamed as a major hinderance for progress in international climate change process.Therefore, whether members of the G8, a group of the world's richest

industrialized countries, could substantially change their stance on the issue if of vital importance.

 It would be a failure for the U.N. Climate Change Conference and a major setback for the global climate change process if no breakthrough is made at the summit.

 The ground for a breakthrough can only be prepared if the G8 leaders reach consensus on the mid-term binding goals of cutting greenhouse emission and stop asking the developing nations to act first as an excuse for their not committing to the binding goals.

 Analysts said a real progress on the issue depends on the political will of the G8 leaders, and their willingness to truly shoulder the "common but differentiated responsibilities" set out in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Bali Roadmap.