Die führende englischsprachige Zeitung Japans, der Yomiuri Shimbun, hat einen Blick auf die G8-Erklärung geworden. Hier ein Auszug der Meldung im Hinblick auf die klimapolitischen Punkte:
The draft declaration to be adopted at the upcoming Group of Eight summit will include a plan for each member to set a midterm target from around 2020 to 2030 for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, The Yomiuri Shimbun learned Wednesday.
Under the draft declaration, G-8 countries will pledge to support emerging countries, including China and India, in their efforts to curtail greenhouse gas emissions. G-8 countries also expressed willingness to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the Major Economies Meeting on Energy Security and Climate Change held last month.
The biggest issue at the three-day summit will be setting a midterm numerical goal for emissions reduction to be achieved around 2020 to 2030.
However, specific figures will not be included in the draft declaration as Japan and the United States have yet to set numerical targets. The United States opposes a framework for reducing greenhouse gas emissions that does not include the participation of China, India and other emerging countries.
Regarding the proposed long-term goal of halving global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, Japan and European countries are working to coordinate with the United States over the draft declaration’s wording.
Japan and European members want to upgrade the proposal to a G-8 agreement. The impetus for making the proposal an agreement is based on last year’s summit meeting in Heiligendamm, Germany, during which members affirmed that the meeting this year would seriously discuss the matter.
In the declaration, the sector-based approach, proposed by Japan to determine potential reduction volumes in each industry, will be evaluated. This approach is likely to contribute to member nation’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction.
Ohne den genauen Text zu kennen, ist das noch schwierig zu bewerten. Es sieht (wieder einmal) ein wenig danach aus, dass die Reduktionsziele in einem Kuhhandel ausgefeilscht werden, anstatt sie auf rationalen Prinzipien zu basieren. Das bietet wenig Anlass zur Hoffnung: Denn beim Kuhhandel der Mächtigen ziehen zumeist diejenigen den Kürzeren, die nicht am Tisch sitzen: Die zukünftigen Generationen, und die verwundbarsten Nationen.