G8 leaders convene in Italy

World leaders, including Gordon Brown and Barack Obama, are meeting this week in the Italian city of L’Aquila to agree new targets for limiting global warming and carbon emissions. The second day of negotiations today will open up discussions with Brazil, India, China, Mexico and South Africa, the developing nations who the G8 say have a vital role in reducing worldwide emissions.

G8 leaders have set out proposals for the richer countries to reduce their emissions by 80%, with the world reducing emissions by 50% by 2050. However, developing nations have been critical of these targets, and believe the richer nations should agree on more ambitious mid-term targets to be achieved by 2020.

Leaders are hoping to agree a deal before the Copenhagen summit later this year, which will set out the framework to reduce carbon emissions after 2012.

However, time seems to be running out for the nations to agree on the specific targets they need to set. At WhizzGo, we’re all hoping that world leaders can reach an agreement that won’t compromise the ambitious targets needed to limit global warming and carbon emissions, and which will see the necessary investment and commitment from all countries involved. We’ll certainly be watching the developments closely over the coming days.