July 10, 2008: G8 set for showdown with poorer states over climate

G8 set for showdown with poorer states over climate

TOYAKO, Japan (Reuters) - Big emerging economies will come under pressure on Wednesday to respond in kind to an initiative by rich countries to work towards a target of at least halving their global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

What interested me most about this article was not the actions of the G8, the world's eight (8) richest nations, but the actions of the G5, five (5) of the world's fastest growing countries. The G5 is demanding more emissions cuts and wants closer deadlines. They also are concerned about the growing prices of fuel and food prices which they blame on the demand from the G8 nations. Meanwhile the G8 nations are pointing out that some of the G5 countries have the most emissions.
There is obviously a problem here. There appears to be two countering forces working against each other. The G8 not only need to work with the G5 but should consider joining into one mass group. (...G13?) But then this group will add other groups and soon there will be a new United Nations. What really needs to happen is both parties need to deal with both issues of prices and climate soon. This meeting has already been scheduled. But the G5 is right, deadlines set for 2050 are not soon enough.

We only have one world. One world. We're in this together and we're hurting. Just like you must treat your body well because you only have one. You must treat the world well because there is only one. One shot to get it right. Cooperation is needed.

Thank you Yoko Kubota and Oleg Shchedrov and Yahoo News