The G8 meeting in Italy has just wrapped up, to be followed today by a meeting of the Major Economies Forum (MEF). It is a crucial moment in the leadup to the Copenhagen meeting in December when world leaders will thrash out the detail of a new global climate deal to replace the Kyoto Protocol.
Reports from Reuters last night indicated that the US were blocking moves to include any reference to limiting warming to 2 degrees. Without hard numbers, the global deal is likely to be worthless. We’re still waiting to get the detail but it looks as though the G8 have agreed on the 2 degree target, with a split emerging over long term emissions reduction targets.
The problem is that we need emissions reductions now, not in 10, 20 or 30 years time. The key issues for the Copenhagen deal are when global emissions will peak, the 2020 emissions reduction targets, and how these targets will be enforced.
To shine the spotlight on the G8 meeting, Greenpeace activists (including Julien Vincent – climate campaigner from the Australian office) have blockaded 4 Italian coal plants to show the kind of action that is required if we are to solve the climate crisis.
In the US, Greenpeace have hung a massive banner off Mt Rushmore calling on Obama to show leadership.
