Tiempo Climate Newswatch

The annual summit of the Group of Eight (G8) ended with an agreement to "seriously consider" the goal of halving global emissions by the year 2050. Though the lack of any binding commitment was described as a compromise, the fact that the United States is now tied into the international response to the climate threat is seen as a major step forward. It is intended that negotiations on the successor to the Kyoto Protocol will be completed by 2009. The G8 leaders acknowledged that considerable funds will be needed to enable the most vulnerable to adapt to climate change. The Clean Development Mechanism, which permits industrialized countries to invest in sustainable development projects in developing countries and generate tradeable emission credits, will be expanded.

"The multilateral climate change process under the United Nations has been re-energized," commented Yvo de Boer, head of the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. "This is a breakthrough in terms of making progress towards an enhanced future climate change regime and will send important signals to developing countries on the readiness of industrialized nations and emerging economies to act," he continued. Environmentalists were less convinced. "The deal is clearly not enough to prevent dangerous climate change" said Daniel Mittler from Greenpeace International. "The US isolation in refusing to accept binding emission cuts has become blindingly obvious at this meeting," he said.

China has announced its first national programme to curb greenhouse gas emissions. While rejecting mandatory control targets, the plan outlines steps towards the existing commitment of a 20 per cent improvement in energy efficiency over the second half of the current decade. The programme re-affirms the goal of doubling renewable energy production - wind, hydro and nuclear power - by the year 2020.

"Although we do not have the obligation to cut emissions, it does not mean we do not want to shoulder our share of responsibilities," said Ma Kai, head of the National Development and Reform Commission. "We must reconcile the need for development with the need for environmental protection," he continued. "In its course of modernization, China will not tread the traditional path of industrialization, featuring high consumption and high emissions. In fact, we want to blaze a new path to industrialization." There will be expanded research and deployment of new energy-saving technologies, improvement of agricultural infrastructure, increased tree-planting (with a target of 20 per cent land area covered) and greater public awareness. Strengthening the capacity to adapt is a major goal of the national programme, with grassland restoration, improved irrigation efficiency, forest and wildlife conservation, flood control and coastal security cited as priorities.

Delegates at the annual general meeting of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in Vancouver, Canada, have been told that the public considers air travel a huge polluter of the environment and that the industry has not moved fast enough to put the record straight. "We've lost the PR battle and we're not going to win the emissions battle by chattering with more PR about the past. They [the public] want to see action," warned Leo Van Wijk, chief executive of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.

IATA is developing an industry plan for trading emission credits, which would be global in extent. "I think we have passed the stage of being in denial," said Singapore Airlines head Chew Choon Seng. Delegates were presented with statistics showing that aircraft fuel efficiency has improved 20 per cent in the past decade, and nearly five per cent in the most recent two years. Modern aircraft consume an average of 3.5 litres per 100 passenger kilometres, similar to a small compact car but with six times the speed.