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Merkel: G8 to agree on 2 degrees climate goal

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-07-03 14:45

BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday she expected leaders from the Group of Eight industrialised nations to endorse a goal of limiting global warming to no more than 2 degrees Celsius.

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Merkel, addressing parliament, described as a "watershed" recent moves by US President Barack Obama, who has promised tougher action to slow global warming than his Republican predecessor, George W. Bush and reversed some of his policies.

"We should feel encouraged by this because we cannot do this (fight climate change) without the United States," she told the Bundestag lower house. "That's why it will be important to have a clear acknowledgement of the 2 degree (Celsius) goal in the documents from the L'Aquila summit."

Merkel said last week's bill, passed by the US House of Representatives, requiring large firms to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 17 percent by 2020 and 83 percent by 2050 from 2005 levels showed there was a change of heart in US policy.

Europe and the United States now had to push big emerging economies to join the fight against global warming, she added.

"Even if all G8 countries cut their emissions, we will not meet the 2 degree goal without emerging economies," said Merkel.

Merkel has sought to push other countries to fight climate change. At a summit two years ago in Germany, Merkel brokered a deal between G8 leaders to "seriously consider" carbon emissions cuts of 50 percent by 2050.

Agreeing on mid-term goals for greenhouse gas reductions now posed the biggest problem, said Merkel, adding she expected progress in preparations for December's meeting in Copenhagen which aims to agree a successor deal to the Kyoto Protocol.

Obama will chair a meeting of the world's top greenhouse gas emitters, the Major Economies forum, at the G8 summit next week. He re-launched meetings of the forum, whose members account for about 80 percent of global emissions, earlier this year.

"It is good that President Obama will continue the meetings of the Major Economies Forum. We should be able to prepare for the talks in Copenhagen ... and we're seeing moves which make us hopeful we can achieve results in December," said Merkel.