EU "expects progress in climate debate" at G8 talks

The EU has called on the leaders of the world's richest nations to commit to limiting global temperature rises to below two degrees Celsius during talks on climate change at the G8 summit, which begins in L'Aquila in Italy on Wednesday.

Convincing G8 leaders to endorse the two degree target would represent important progress in ongoing global climate negotiations, the European Commission said on Monday (EE 01/07/09 http://www.endseurope.com/21690).

The prospect of such a breakthrough was boosted last week by the US House of Representatives' adoption of a climate bill endorsing the two degree target, commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said. "It is very important to stick to that goal because we need an agreement based on science, not only on political compromise," he told a press conference.

The G8 leaders' declaration could also back a long-term goal to halve global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, including cuts of up to 80 per cent in developed countries. But endorsement by G8 nations of "robust mid-term reductions" comparable to the EU's 2020 targets is still far from guaranteed (EE 26/05/09 http://www.endseurope.com/21405).

At the summit the leaders of the world's 17 largest greenhouse gas emitting countries will also discuss climate change during a meeting of the Major Economies Forum (EE 29/04/09 http://www.endseurope.com/21234). The aim is to close the gap in the current positions of developed and developing countries in the climate talks, but EU officials are not predicting any breakthroughs.

On Monday scientists from around the world called on developing countries to commit to significant gains in energy efficiency, reductions in carbon intensity, and cuts in non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions over the next two decades as part of a global climate agreement.

Follow-up: European Commission http://ec.europa.eu/index_en.htm, plus press

release http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/1090,

memo http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/09/317

and Barroso speech

http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/09/330.

See also scientists letter

http://www.europeanclimate.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=52&Itemid=42

to the Major Economies Forum.

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