U.S. President Obama chaired a meeting of the leaders of Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States as the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate in L’Aquila, Italy, on July 9, 2009. Together, these nations account for 80 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. From the draft declaration from leaders at this summit posted on Guardian.UK it seems the leaders took another small step backward in the quest for a substantial agreement in Copenhagen in December of this year.

Leaders are convinced that:

climate change poses a clear danger requiring an extraordinary global response.

Yes, we heard this yesterday, and leaders today reiterated that keeping global temperature increase to 2 degrees C from pre-industrial levels was desirable.

So, why do the leaders step away from yesterday’s agreement to “achieve a 50 percent reduction in global emissions by 2050, and to a goal of an aggregate 80 percent or more reduction by developed countries by that date.on a 50% reduction on emissions by 2050″, instead broadly agreeing to:

work between now and Copenhagen, with each other and under the Convention, to identify a global goal for substantially reducing global emissions by 2050.

What?? Substantially reduce emissions? Come on. We’ve been here before, today’s statement is a backslide on the G8 declaration.

They agree action is necessary, and that each leader will

undertake transparent nationally appropriate mitigation actions, subject to applicable measurement, reporting, and verification, and prepare low-carbon growth plans.

The leaders include talk of investment, without committing to dollar figures and leave to door open for each leader to be protective of national interests:

Drawing on global best practice policies, we undertake to remove barriers, establish incentives, enhance capacity-building, and implement appropriate measures to aggressively accelerate deployment and transfer of key existing and new low-carbon technologies, in accordance with national circumstances.

Developed nations will take the lead:

by promptly undertaking robust aggregate and individual reductions in the midterm consistent with our respective ambitious long-term objectives and will work together before Copenhagen to achieve a strong result in this regard.

and go beyond business as usual:

Developing countries among us will promptly undertake actions whose projected effects on emissions represent a meaningful deviation from business as usual in the midterm, in the context of sustainable development, supported by financing, technology, and capacity-building.

In the midterm???? what about NOW! Midterm to 2050 is 2030!

For the first time in a while countries commit to something:

Lead countries will report by November 15, 2009, on action plans and roadmaps, and make recommendations for further progress.

Oh, good, we’ll tell each other about our future plans and agree to meet again throughout the year:

our countries will continue meeting throughout the balance of this year in order to facilitate agreement in Copenhagen.

Undoubtedly, frequent high level meetings between countries with vastly different visions of climate change mitigation measures will be necessary to get the agreement in Copenhagen everyone is hoping for, but more importantly these meetings need to move leaders up the ladder towards a solution, not backwards.

Leaders of the World, we need More from you.

Link:

• text of Major Economies Forum declaration

The Climate Project Declaration to Secure our Future

In this time of urgent and unprecedented threat to our civilization – today with one common voice – we urge all citizens of the world to make climate change the highest of priorities.

We urge all heads of state and government officials to move quickly to pose laws that advance policy changes – beginning with Copenhagen 2009 and beyond – creating a new economy and global community that is sustainable for future generations.

We urge people throughout the world to inform themselves wisely and to take the necessary actions to reduce their carbon footprint and their overall environmental impact at home, work, and in their communities.

We have arrived at the moment of ultimate choice, and therefore, today, we pledge our commitment to work to preserve the climate balance upon which life on earth depends.

Let us mark this an historic turning point where we as a global society have come together to turn willpower into action, to regain control of our destiny, and to solve the climate crisis.

Together, as a unified voice, and as a community of nations, we can make a difference and we will win this important battle to preserve all life on this planet.

Nashville, TN, May 2009