Political leaders have been quick to hail an agreement by G8 leader to seek "substantial" cuts in CO2 emissions. But some environmental campaigners have criticised the deal, which sets no mandatory targets for reductions.GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL
We have succeeded, we managed to agree that we need reduction goals, obligatory reduction goals. In agreement we all said that what Japan, Canada and the EU established here will be to seriously bring into consideration that emissions be cut at least by half by 2050.
And obviously what's of greatest importance to me is that it should all be done as part of a UN framework.
UK PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR
The important thing is that we now have an agreement... that we need a new worldwide agreement on climate change... [and] that at the heart of that should be a substantial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. There will be serious considerations given specifically to the goal of halving of emissions by 2050.
PHILIP CLAPP, US NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT TRUST PRESIDENT
Chancellor Merkel and Prime Minister Blair are trying to portray this as a strong agreement. But President Bush didn't give them an inch. The best they could get from him was a statement that their 50% by 2050 emissions reduction proposal would be "seriously considered". That's a pretty tiny landmark.
EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT JOSE MANUEL BARROSO
There is a clear commitment of the G8 that there is a threat, that it's a global threat, that there should be a global answer and that we have now a road map for fighting this threat.
We could not yet establish specific targets agreed at this meeting, but we have now the basis and it's a very solid basis for doing that in the process in the United Nations.
YVO DE BOER, HEAD OF UN CLIMATE CHANGE SECRETARIAT
It very clearly calls for a launch of negotiations in Bali [Indonesia] in December of this year, it calls for conclusion of negotiations in 2009 in order to have a post-2012 climate change regime in place under the auspices of the UN.
JOERG FEDDERN, GREENPEACE CLIMATE SPECIALIST
There's no binding target, there is only the announcement, yes we have to reduce our CO2 or greenhouse gas emissions [by] 2050 by 50%, that is not enough.
What we need is a sign, binding targets and steps forward to combat climate change. The announcement is not enough by far.
YURI ONODERA, FRIENDS OF THE EARTH INTERNATIONAL
We have already seen many empty promises by G8 leaders over the past years but there has not been much real action, so we urge G8 leaders to act now and cut their greenhouse gas emissions drastically and immediately.
HANS VEROLME, WWF CLIMATE CHANGE PROGRAMME DIRECTOR
In Bali we will see what the agreement is worth. But real emission cuts still have to be negotiated, and countries must recognise the need for staying below [an increase in global temperatures of] 2C. Now is the time for concrete actions.
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