G8 Climate Agreement Puts New Focus on U.S. Congress to Lead With Emissions Cap

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Contact:
Tony Kreindler, Environmental Defense, 202-572-3378 or 202-210-5791 (Cell)

G8 Climate Agreement Puts New Focus on U.S. Congress to Lead With Emissions Cap

(Washington — June 7, 2007) The G8 agreement reached today is an important step forward in the global effort to address climate change, but the lack of agreement on a numerical target for reducing greenhouse gases puts new pressure on the U.S. Congress to enact a firm cap on emissions.

“The spotlight is now squarely on Congress. If America wants to lead, it’s up to U.S. lawmakers,” said Environmental Defense President Fred Krupp. “We need to take care of our own house before other countries will take care of theirs.”

Importantly, G8 leaders today agreed to negotiate a new accord by 2009 under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change — bound by the convention’s goal of averting dangerous climate change. 

The key to getting a meaningful agreement in future talks will be strong caps on U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, without which other nations will be reluctant to move forward. The U.S. is the world’s biggest emitter of greenhouse gases and has been the most reluctant to adopt fiirm emissions limits.