Climate change issues: G8 statement

The Group of Eight leading industrialized nations (G8) met with 5 major emerging countries (Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa) early June in Heiligendamm and published a statement demonstrating a far greater will to address climate change than in the past. Highlights include: - "Improving energy efficiency worldwide is the fastest, the most sustainable and the cheapest way to reduce greenhouse emissions and enhance energy security"; - "We will consider seriously the decisions made by the European Union, Canada and Japan, which include at least a halving of global emissions by 2050"; - "We will also endeavour under the Montreal Protocol to ensure the recovery of the ozone layer by accelerating the phase-out of HCFCs in a way that supports energy efficiency and climate change objectives; - ...the implementation of energy efficiency in buildings and the use of renewable energies, especially for cooling and heating, taking into due consideration the different situations of new and existing buildings, and development and deployment of low- and zero-carbon buildings."