By RIA Novosti,
Tokyo : Environmental ministers from the Group of Eight industrialized countries backed a resolution to set global targets to cut greenhouse emissions by up to half by 2050.
Global emission cuts will be on the agenda of the G8 summit comprising Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States, which is due to be held in Toyako on Japan’s Hokkaido Island on June 7-9.
“In order to halve global emissions, developed countries should take the lead in achieving a significant reduction,” a joint statement said.
However, according to Japanese politicians, the meeting failed to reach a mutual agreement on a new deal to replace the Kyoto Protocol due to expire in 2012.
The United States is the only major country to refuse to sign the Kyoto Protocol which requires countries reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 5% by the end of 2012 from 1990 levels.
At last year’s conference in Germany, leaders agreed to consider cutting emissions by half to try and stop global warming, but stopped short of introducing any fixed targets.