G8 non-committal on emission targets in L'Aquila declaration (Lead)

The G8 or the world's most wealthy and developed countries have remained non-committal on setting targets for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, a demand being stressed by the emerging economies (G5) and other developing countries.

Though the G8 and G5 came out with a joint declaration on various issues at this quake-hit Italian town, 100 km from Rome, the document neither set targets for reducing emissions nor any dateline.

The G5 is demanding that the emissions be reduced by at least 40 percent by 2020 and by 80 percent by 2050. Developed countries are ready to reduce emissions by only 50 percent till 2050, despite scientists across the world and developing countries urging them to reduce more emissions faster.

The demand is being made as all countries prepare for a crucial UN conference on climate change to be held in Copenhagen in December this year.

"We will encourage and facilitate the development, dissemination and mutually agreed transfer of clean, low-carbon technologies, reducing carbon emissions and increasing energy efficiency from production to consumption, thereby improving energy security and access," the joint declaration said about the controversial issue of climate change and emissions.

But differences between both sides over targets remained.

"We reconfirm our political will for reaching a comprehensive, fair, effective, agreed outcome, following the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December."

"There is not much willingness among the developed countries to set the 2020 targets. Developing countries want a sharp decrease in emissions - at least by 40 percent by 2020," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's special envoy on climate change Shyam Saran said here Thursday.

"The developed countries have been the biggest polluters and have to share their historical responsibility on it. India spends 2.5 percent of its GDP on the fallout of climate change like natural disasters. Technology is the key to reducing emissions and developed countries will have step in for this," Saran added.

Climate change is affecting farm output, making droughts, floods and storms more severe and more frequent and raising the sea level. India is one of the worst-affected countries.

The G5 -- India, China, Brazil, South Africa and Mexico-is suggesting that at least 1 percent of the GDP of developed countries should go towards checking climate change.

Global NGOs shadowing the G8-G5 summit said Thursday that any possibility of the G8 countries coming with a 2020 target had been scupperred by Russia, which has long opposed any cap on its greenhouse gas emissions.

Last updated on Jul 9^th, 2009 at 22:40 pm IST--IANS