World leaders strike 'huge' deal on climate = "substantial" reduction in greenhouse gas emissions

[L. Coyote]

World leaders strike 'huge' deal on climate
* Philip Webster and David Charter in Heiligendamm, Germany - June 08, 2007
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21870651-2703,00.html


WORLD leaders today hailed a groundbreaking deal paving the way for a "substantial" reduction in greenhouse gas emissions with a view to halving them by 2050.

The compromise agreement fell short of the original aims of Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, but was more ambitious than many expected.

It was clinched after US President George W. Bush was persuaded that his own plan for a climate change conference in the northern autumn would be part of efforts to reach a global agreement through the UN.

Against expectations, he also allowed the 50 per cent target shared by most leading industrial countries to appear in the final G8 communiqué.

Some saw Mr Bush’s shift as a parting gift to British Prime Minister Tony Blair after their last one-to-one meeting. .............