Former British prime minister Tony Blair on Friday urged Group of Eight (G8) leaders to agree on the ambitious target to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 during their July summit in Japan, according to DPA. Blair urged seven of the world's largest economies and Russia to also set a practical work plan to achieve the goal. "The 2050 global target gives us a clear direction," Blair said at a Tokyo press conference as he released a report on how to come to a global agreement that would create a low-carbon society. The report, which the former British leader plans to submit at the July 7-9 G8 summit, proposes an approach leading to a global agreement to fight climate change by December next year at a UN-sponsored meeting in Copenhagen. Blair said that to achieve the target, emerging economies, such as China and India, must be part of the agreement. But in inviting them into the global climate movement, Blair added that industrialized nations must provide them with aid and support to accelerate carbon dioxide reduction while helping developing nations maintain their economic growth.
