Backlash comes after G8 climate deal

A new global deal on climate change heralded by G8 leaders as a significant step forward yesterday ran into trouble within hours as developing nations including China and India rejected it because they believe the commitments are not strong enough. After years of US intransigence, President George Bush finally signed up to a G8 statement vowing to "consider and adopt" a target of at least a 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050, an agreement described by the prime minister, Gordon Brown, as "major progress". But while the five-page communique is the first time Bush has committed his country to a long-term target, the deal agreed at the G8 summit in northern Japan was quickly dismissed by the big five emerging economies, which want the world's biggest polluters to go much further in cutting emissions. Leaders from Brazil,... [read full story]