Environment chiefs from top industrial countries called Monday for an agreement on cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2050, declaring that developed nations should take the lead in battling global warming, the Associated Press reported. The statement by ministers from the Group of Eight nations, aimed at preparing for action on climate change at the G8 summit in Toyako, Japan in July, also acknowledged calls for midterm emissions reduction targets for 2020, though it did not specify any goals. The three day meetings of G8 ministers _ from Japan, the United States, Germany, France, Italy, Canada, Britain and Russia _ and observer countries also strove to revive momentum for wider U.N.-led talks on a new global warming pact. «The major outcome was on climate change: We strongly expressed the will to come to agreement at Toyako so we can halve emissions by 2050,» Japanese Environment Minister Ichiro Kamoshita said. «Advanced nations should show leadership to reach this goal.» The statement cited the need for global gas emissions to peak within the next 10 to 20 years, and it called on developing countries with rapidly expanding greenhouse gas emissions to work to curb the rate of increase.
