Crucial Time for Globalwarming
Prime Minister Tony Blair has today said that this summer’s meeting of G8 leaders presents a “tremendous opportunity” to put in place a framework for fighting globalwarming after the Kyoto Protocol runs out in 2012.
Mr Blair, speaking earlier at a Press Conference said there was now widespread agreement around the world about the threat posed by climate change, as well as an enormous demand from the people of many nations for their political leaders to do something about it. Is this now globalwarming awareness2007?
Blair warned however, that agreement on a post-Kyoto process was far from certain at the G8 gathering at Heiligendamm in Germany in June. He said considerable behind-the-scenes work was needed in advance of the meeting to resolve technical details of any deal.
Mr Blair was speaking at a press conference in Berlin following talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, this year’s president of the G8. The Prime Minister said that the coming months were an “absolutely crucial” period not only for climate change but also for other global priorities such as the Middle East peace process and the search for a world trade deal.
He promised to do “as much as I can” to secure success in these negotiations in the few months left to him before he steps down as Prime Minister, which he has said he would do by the start of September.
Ms Merkel said a conference in May will thrash out the details of a climate change deal to be put before the leaders of the G8 countries - the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Japan and Russia - as well as China, India, Mexico, Brazil and South Africa, who will also be represented at Heiligendamm. Will globalwarming awareness2007 now be a reality?
