G8 summits

Results of the G8 summit 2012

The focus of the 2012 G8 summit in Camp David on 18/19 May under US Presidency was on the global economic situation, the traditional topic of the meeting. Other priorities included energy, climate change, the continuation of the food security initiative for Africa and the Deauville partnership with the countries of the Arab spring as well as support for rebuilding Afghanistan.

In its declaration the G8 highlights the importance of having a diverse energy supply as well as environmentally sound, sustainable, secure and cost-effective energy for global economic growth and climate change mitigation. The Annex to the declaration, the fact sheet, points to examples for joint action of the G8 regarding: energy security, energy mix and infrastructure, use of renewable energy sources, oil supply security, energy efficiency, product efficiency, short-lived climate pollutants. The G8 heads of state and government expressly support the results of the UN Climate Change Conference in Durban in 2011, especially the implementation of the Cancun Agreements of 2010 and the establishment of the Durban platform. The Durban platform is acknowledged as an important breakthrough in negotiations for a new international agreement, which is to be drawn up by 2015 and will include all parties. They also pointed to the need to raise the level of ambition of measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions before 2020 in order to reach the goal of limiting global warming to 2° compared to pre-industrial times.

The G8 also decided to support activities to reduce short-lived climate pollutants in order to supplement international climate policy measures for the reduction of long-lived climate gases and in this context announced that it would join the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-lived Climate Pollutants (CCAC) founded in 2012. This will create synergies between climate and other environmental policies (in particular emission control, protection of ozone layer), especially if this coalition supports existing processes in the area of international clean air policy.

• G8 - Camp David Declaration (PDF, external, 70 KB)
• Fact Sheet: G8 Action on Energy and Climate Change

Results of the G8 summit 2011

From 26 to 27 May 2011 the G8 met in Deauville, France. The focus of the French Presidency was on Internet, nuclear safety, development/Africa and security. In its declaration the G8 confirmed its commitment to the goals of limiting global warming to less than 2°C and reducing emissions from industrialised countries by at least 80 percent by 2050 compared to 1990 or a more recent year. The heads of state and government also championed the swift development of a low-carbon economy, confirmed the goal of reaching a comprehensive binding climate agreement involving all countries and voiced their support for the South African Presidency of the UN climate negotiations in Durban from 28 November to 9 December 2011. The creation of a global climate fund was expressly welcomed.

In the area of biodiversity, the outcomes of the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Nagoya, Japan, in autumn 2011 were commended in particular, for instance regarding access and benefit sharing (ABS). The summit also welcomed the creation of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). Other priorities included the topic of green growth and, in response to the events in Fukushima in March 2011, nuclear safety and the call for comprehensive international assessments of nuclear plants.

• G8 Declaration of Deauville

Results of the G8 summit 2010

The G8 Summit of 2010 took place on 26 June in Muskoka, Canada and focused on the topics development/Africa, international foreign and security policy and environmental protection. Climate policy was also a topic on the G8 agenda that year. The 2°C target recognised the previous year and the concept of peaking (peak in greenhouse gas emissions) were reaffirmed in Muskoka. The long-term objective of the G8 to bring down emissions from industrialised countries by at least 80 percent by 2050 compared to 1990 levels or a later reference year was also confirmed as well as the global long-term goal of at least halving global emissions by 2050; a reference year for the latter has yet to be set. The G8 committed to releasing the fast start climate funds for 2010 to 2012 pledged in Copenhagen and welcomed the efforts made by the High Level Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing established by the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Moreover, the G8 agreed on increased cooperation in the field of adaption to climate change.

Biodiversity was a topic which was put on the G8 agenda for the first time during the German Presidency in 2007. In Muskoka the G8 recognised the outstanding importance of biological diversity for human wellbeing and acknowledged the fact that the 2010 biodiversity target would not be achieved. The international target aimed at significantly reducing the loss of species by 2010. The G8 supported Japan in its efforts for the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, and it also acknowledged the necessity of determining a political post-2010 framework. The G8 furthermore welcomed the establishment of an Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).

• G8 Declaration 2010 (G8 Muskoka Declaration Recovery and New Beginnings) (in English)

Results of the G8 summit 2009

G8 and newly industrialising countries agree on 2-degree target for the first time

From 8 to 10 July 2009, the G8 Summit took place in L'Aquila, Italy, a city which had been struck by an earthquake a few months earlier. The summit focussed on the global economic and financial crisis, climate change and greater cooperation of industrialised countries with Africa and newly industrialising countries. On the second day of the G8 Summit the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate (MEF), initiated by the US in 2007, discussed new strategies for combating climate change. The Major Economies Forum comprises the world's 16 largest economies, i.e. the G8 countries, China, India, Mexico, South Africa, Brazil, South Korea, Australia and Indonesia. Also participating were Denmark, as host of the UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen in December 2009, and Sweden as holder of the EU Presidency. MEF countries produce approx. 80 percent of annual greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. The forum has become an important flanking process in international climate politics.

The results in detail:

Climate protection

It is considered a great success that both the G8 countries and the major newly industrialising countries agreed to limit the average temperature increase to a maximum of 2 degrees compared to the pre-industrial level (so-called 2°C target).

The G8 partners acknowledged their frontrunner role in climate protection and agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent or more by 2050. With regard to this long-term goal for industrialised countries the G8-Declaration (PDF document, 374 Kbyte, in English) defines 1990 or a more recent year as the reference year, outlining, however, that efforts need to be comparable.

The G8 thus confirmed and strengthened the global long-term goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent by 2050. A reference year was not determined.

At the Major Economies Forum agreement was reached with the major newly industrialising countries to work together to define a global long-term goal for 2050 before the Copenhagen conference. At the Major Economies Forum, newly industrialising countries also declared their willingness to take swift action to achieve a meaningful deviation from the business-as-usual emissions scenario. They will receive financial and technical support for their efforts.

The concept of "peaking" (i.e. peak of global greenhouse gas emissions) was laid down in the G8 and the MEF-Declaration (in English). Although no specific year was set, there was agreement that the peak should be reached as early as possible.

The G8 declared its willingness to contribute its fair share to funding the global fight against climate change and supported the development and implementation of an effective financing mechanism for a post-2012 regime. With the exception of the least developed countries all countries are expected to participate in the financial effort to tackle global climate change according to criteria to be agreed.

The summit also agreed to support the further expansion of the carbon market. The objective is to link national and sub-national emissions trading schemes and establish a global carbon market on this basis. Newly industrialising and developing countries are to be involved in this process.

Newly industrialising and developing countries are to be involved in this process.

Biodiversity

The G8 reaffirmed its goal to significantly reduce the global loss of biodiversity by 2010. The heads of state and government also recognised the need to develop a vision for biodiversity conservation for the post-2010 period. The summit declaration also supports the Potsdam Initiative on Biodiversity (PDF document, 31 KByte, in German) adopted in Heiligendamm in 2007 and emphasises the TEEB-Study (PDF document, 8,16, in English MB) (The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity) reviewing the economic value of biodiversity.

Results of the G8 summit 2011

rom 26 to 27 May 2011 the G8 met in Deauville, France. The focus of the French Presidency was on Internet, nuclear safety, development/Africa and security. In its declaration the G8 confirmed its commitment to the goals of limiting global warming to less than 2°C and reducing emissions from industrialised countries by at least 80 percent by 2050 compared to 1990 or a more recent year. The heads of state and government also championed the swift development of a low-carbon economy, confirmed the goal of reaching a comprehensive binding climate agreement involving all countries and voiced their support for the South African Presidency of the UN climate negotiations in Durban from 28 November to 9 December 2011. The creation of a global climate fund was expressly welcomed.

In the area of biodiversity, the outcomes of the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Nagoya, Japan, in autumn 2011 were commended in particular, for instance regarding access and benefit sharing (ABS). The summit also welcomed the creation of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). Other priorities included the topic of green growth and, in response to the events in Fukushima in March 2011, nuclear safety and the call for comprehensive international assessments of nuclear plants.

• G8 Declaration of Deauville

Results of the G8 summit 2010

The G8 Summit of 2010 took place on 26 June in Muskoka, Canada and focused on the topics development/Africa, international foreign and security policy and environmental protection. Climate policy was also a topic on the G8 agenda that year. The 2°C target recognised the previous year and the concept of peaking (peak in greenhouse gas emissions) were reaffirmed in Muskoka. The long-term objective of the G8 to bring down emissions from industrialised countries by at least 80 percent by 2050 compared to 1990 levels or a later reference year was also confirmed as well as the global long-term goal of at least halving global emissions by 2050; a reference year for the latter has yet to be set. The G8 committed to releasing the fast start climate funds for 2010 to 2012 pledged in Copenhagen and welcomed the efforts made by the High Level Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing established by the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Moreover, the G8 agreed on increased cooperation in the field of adaption to climate change.

Biodiversity was a topic which was put on the G8 agenda for the first time during the German Presidency in 2007. In Muskoka the G8 recognised the outstanding importance of biological diversity for human wellbeing and acknowledged the fact that the 2010 biodiversity target would not be achieved. The international target aimed at significantly reducing the loss of species by 2010. The G8 supported Japan in its efforts for the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, and it also acknowledged the necessity of determining a political post-2010 framework. The G8 furthermore welcomed the establishment of an Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).

• G8 Declaration 2010 (G8 Muskoka Declaration Recovery and New Beginnings) (in English)

Results of the G8 summit 2009

G8 and newly industrialising countries agree on 2-degree target for the first time

From 8 to 10 July 2009, the G8 Summit took place in L'Aquila, Italy, a city which had been struck by an earthquake a few months earlier. The summit focussed on the global economic and financial crisis, climate change and greater cooperation of industrialised countries with Africa and newly industrialising countries. On the second day of the G8 Summit the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate (MEF), initiated by the US in 2007, discussed new strategies for combating climate change. The Major Economies Forum comprises the world's 16 largest economies, i.e. the G8 countries, China, India, Mexico, South Africa, Brazil, South Korea, Australia and Indonesia. Also participating were Denmark, as host of the UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen in December 2009, and Sweden as holder of the EU Presidency. MEF countries produce approx. 80 percent of annual greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. The forum has become an important flanking process in international climate politics.

The results in detail:

Climate protection

It is considered a great success that both the G8 countries and the major newly industrialising countries agreed to limit the average temperature increase to a maximum of 2 degrees compared to the pre-industrial level (so-called 2°C target).

The G8 partners acknowledged their frontrunner role in climate protection and agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent or more by 2050. With regard to this long-term goal for industrialised countries the G8-Declaration (PDF document, 374 Kbyte, in English) defines 1990 or a more recent year as the reference year, outlining, however, that efforts need to be comparable.

The G8 thus confirmed and strengthened the global long-term goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent by 2050. A reference year was not determined.

At the Major Economies Forum agreement was reached with the major newly industrialising countries to work together to define a global long-term goal for 2050 before the Copenhagen conference. At the Major Economies Forum, newly industrialising countries also declared their willingness to take swift action to achieve a meaningful deviation from the business-as-usual emissions scenario. They will receive financial and technical support for their efforts.

The concept of "peaking" (i.e. peak of global greenhouse gas emissions) was laid down in the G8 and the MEF-Declaration (in English). Although no specific year was set, there was agreement that the peak should be reached as early as possible.

The G8 declared its willingness to contribute its fair share to funding the global fight against climate change and supported the development and implementation of an effective financing mechanism for a post-2012 regime. With the exception of the least developed countries all countries are expected to participate in the financial effort to tackle global climate change according to criteria to be agreed.

The summit also agreed to support the further expansion of the carbon market. The objective is to link national and sub-national emissions trading schemes and establish a global carbon market on this basis. Newly industrialising and developing countries are to be involved in this process.

Newly industrialising and developing countries are to be involved in this process.

Biodiversity

The G8 reaffirmed its goal to significantly reduce the global loss of biodiversity by 2010. The heads of state and government also recognised the need to develop a vision for biodiversity conservation for the post-2010 period. The summit declaration also supports the Potsdam Initiative on Biodiversity (PDF document, 31 KByte, in German) adopted in Heiligendamm in 2007 and emphasises the TEEB-Study (PDF document, 8,16, in English MB) (The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity) reviewing the economic value of biodiversity.

G8 Declaration of L'Aquila 2009 (in German)