G-8 Summit/ Declarations and Resolutions: Environment and Climate Change

Climate change

・We reaffirm our commitment to take strong leadership in combating climate change and, in this respect, welcome decisions taken in Bali as the foundation for reaching a global agreement in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process by 2009. We are committed to its successful conclusion. Therefore, we endorse the positive contribution of the Major Economies Leaders' Meeting to the UNFCCC.

・We seek to share with all parties to the UNFCCC the vision of, and together with them to consider and adopt in the UNFCCC negotiations, the goal of achieving at least 50 percent reduction of global emissions by 2050.

・We acknowledge our leadership role and each of us will implement ambitious economy-wide mid-term goals in order to achieve absolute emissions reductions, reflecting comparable efforts among all developed economies.

・Sectoral approaches can be useful tools to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

・All major economies will need to commit to meaningful mitigation actions to be bound in the international agreement to be negotiated by the end of 2009.

・We ask the IEA to enhance its work on voluntary sectoral indicators. We emphasize the importance of expeditious discussions for limiting or reducing GHG emissions in the international aviation and maritime sectors.

・We recognize the importance of setting mid-term, aspirational goals for energy efficiency. We welcome the recent decision to establish the International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation (IPEEC).

・We promote clean energy, recognize the important role of renewable energy and underscore the importance of sustainable biofuel production and use.

・An international initiative proposed by Japan on nuclear energy infrastructure will be launched, based on safeguards (nuclear nonproliferation), nuclear safety and nuclear security.

・We will continue and enhance cooperation with developing countries in their efforts to adapt to climate change.

・We will establish an international initiative to develop road maps for innovative technologies. We are committed to increasing investment in environmental and clean energy technology research and development (R&D) and the promotion of commercialization. In this respect, G-8 members have so far pledged over the next several years over $10 billion annually in direct government-funded R&D.

・We welcome and support the establishment of the Climate Investment Funds (CIF). G-8 members have thus far pledged approximately $6 billion to the funds and welcome commitments from other donors. We also welcome various bilateral financial initiatives taken by G-8 members. We expect such financial assistance to encourage active engagement by developing countries in an effective post-2012 framework.

・Market mechanisms, such as emissions trading and tax incentives, can provide pricing signals and have the potential to deliver economic incentives to the private sector. We intend to promote such instruments in accordance with our national circumstances and share experience on the effectiveness of the different instruments.

・Efforts in the WTO negotiations to eliminate tariffs and nontariff barriers to environmental goods and services should be enhanced. Additionally, consideration should be given to the reduction or elimination of trade barriers on a voluntary basis on goods and services directly linked to addressing climate change. We also agree to encourage initiatives contributing to climate change mitigation including purchasing and investment policies and practices that can contribute to lower carbon emissions.

・We welcome the final report of the Gleneagles Dialogue on Climate Change, Clean Energy and Sustainable Development. We also welcome the reports submitted by the IEA and the World Bank on their work related to the Gleneagles Plan of Action.

Forest management

・We encourage actions for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (REDD), recognizing the urgent need to curb illegal logging and its associated trade. We share the concerns regarding the vulnerability of biodiversity. In implementing the principles of the three Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), we recognize the importance of how we use resources throughout their life cycles to a thriving global economy and environment. We promote Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) by supporting the UNESCO and other organizations.(IHT/Asahi: July 11,2008)