G8 Summit: 'Historic' Climate Change Vow

Prime Minsiter Gordon Brown has hailed a "historic" agreement between the world's major industrialised nations to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050.  

Leaders of the world's leading industrialised nations line up at the summit

Mr Brown also hailed moves - agreed at the summit of G8 nations in Italy - to prevent global temperatures rising by more than 2C.
He said the deal paved the way for a global agreement at the UN conference in Copenhagen this December to halve emissions by the middle of the century.
A communique released at the summit in L'Aquila also committed the G8 to continued efforts to restore global economic growth.
It put off the application of an "exit strategy" - as sought by Germany - until recovery is assured.
Mr Brown said the G8 leaders recognised "warning signals" that the path out of recession is not yet secured.
He cited the recent rise in oil prices to 75 US dollars a barrel and uncertainty about future unemployment.

Gordon Brown with Dmitry Medvedev

The agreement on climate change has been made possible by America's change
in stance since Barack Obama succeeded George Bush as President.
Mr Brown said: "For the first time the G8 has agreed what I believe are vital decisions that take us on the road to Copenhagen and change the way we look at energy policy in the future.
"We have agreed for the first time that average global temperatures must rise by no more than 2C. That is a historic agreement.
"We have agreed as G8 that we want to cut our emissions by 80% by 2050 and we believe that this will allow the world to reduce its emissions by 50%."
The Prime Minister hopes to secure agreement from emerging economies including China and India on the need to limit temperature rises to 2C.
No deal is expected on specific emission cuts for non-G8 countries.
The Prime Minister said he expected the agreement on 80% emission cuts to be greeted with "excitement" by the many people in the UK who are interested in moving towards a low-carbon future.
He revealed that the Government will be announcing the first of its eco-towns within the next few days.

Source : SKY