As climate change talks take centre stage at the G8 Summit in Japan today, the world’s largest emitters have done little more than restate last year’s G8 commitment to halve emissions by 2050.
Speaking from Japan, Peter Grant, Tearfund International Director says, “Concrete commitments on climate change are the acid test of success at this summit. The G8 are crawling forward on emissions cuts at a time when giant leaps and bounds are needed.”
“To do little more than restate last year’s G8 commitment to halve emissions by 2050 is a very disappointing outcome, demonstrating a lack of leadership and vision. The science is clearly telling us that merely halving emissions is no longer enough.”
Tearfund believes that a commitment to 50-80% global emissions cuts by 2050 is needed as well as a 2020 target for developed countries to cut by emissions by 25-40%. Key to any target is the baseline used. A 1990 baseline is crucial, not current day levels as is feared.
“Climate change is not a thing of the future – it’s already happening and hitting the world’s poorest communities the hardest. G8 leaders owe it to them to do much more to address the devastating effects of climate change.
"The $6 billion recently committed by the US, Japan and UK, mainly for clean technology, does not make any contribution to the $50bn needed each year to help poor countries adapt to climate change. Any funds for adaptation must be over and above existing aid commitments. Ideally contributions towards adaption should go through the recently established UN Adaption Fund."
Please click here to view Tearfund's analysis of G8 statements.