17 June:The US ambassador to Japan voiced doubt on whether the upcoming Group of Eight summit would take action on climate change, saying that any solution must also involve developing nations like India and China.Thomas Schieffer, the US ambassador to Japan, said on Monday that any solution on curbing greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming needed to bring on board major emitters in the developing world such as China and India.
"It’s an issue that goes beyond the G8 and you can’t have a G8 solution that will ultimately be effective," Schieffer told a small group of reporters in Tokyo.
Host Japan has expressed hope that the 7th -9th July summit of the Group of Eight (G8) rich nations — Britain, Canada, Italy, France, Germany, Japan, Russia and the United States — will help shape negotiations on a post-Kyoto climate treat.
Schieffer acknowledged that Japan "obviously would like to have a statement of agreement" by the Group of Eight on climate change.
Japan has invited leaders of eight major emitters that are not in the G8, including China and India, for an "outreach" summit on climate change on the final day.
Masaharu Kohno, Japan’s so-called "Sherpa" helping arrange the Toyako summit, acknowledged a tough fight on climate change ahead of the G8 summit.
The United States is the only major industrial power to shun the Kyoto Protocol, whose requirements to slash emissions expire in 2012.Courtsey : DD NEWS
President George W Bush has argued that it is unfair because it makes no demands of developing nations.
Japanese news reports earlier said the United States has opposed including any specific target for future emissions cuts in the G8 statement.