Bush seriously considers 50% emissions cut by 2050

Full marks to the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, for turning Bush's forward thrust on climate change into advantage with a neat little judo throw to extract "serious consideration" for her preferred benchmark of 50% cuts by 2050 - backed by the EU, Canada and Japan. Sure, Bush didn't commit to any targets, but he also didn't expect to find himself suddenly lying on his back being helped up by a smiling Merkel. Ippon to the Chancellor - a classic demonstration of back-rub blow-back.

clipped from news.bbc.co.uk G8 leaders agree to climate deal Leaders of the G8 nations have agreed to seek "substantial" cuts in emissions in an effort to tackle climate change. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the G8 would negotiate within a UN framework to seek a replacement for the Kyoto Protocol by the end of 2009. No mandatory target was set for the cuts, but Mrs Merkel's preference for a 50% emissions cut by the year 2050 was included in the agreed statement. "We agreed... that CO2 emissions must first be stopped and then followed by substantial reductions," the German chancellor said. Global greenhouse gas emissions must stop rising, followed by substantial global emission reductions. G8 statement BBC Reaction to climate deal In pictures: Anti-G8 protests Her preferred benchmark of 50% cuts by 2050 - backed by the EU, Canada and Japan - would be given serious consideration, she said. From the agreed text published on the G8 website; the leaders agreed to take "strong and early" action. "Taking into account the scientific knowledge as represented in the recent IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change] reports, global greenhouse gas emissions must stop rising, followed by substantial global emission reductions," the text says. Global Warning Climate Change Energy