Well, the G-8 has a vision, but do they have a plan?

Japan’s PM Fukuda was able to save face – “The G8 nations came to a mutual recognition that this target — cutting global emissions by at least 50 percent by 2050 — should be a global target.”

The United States got heard. Emerging economies, India, China, Brazil are included – “It has always been the case that a long-term goal is one that must be shared. So the G-8 has offered today is a G-8 view of what that goal could be and should be but that can only occur with the agreement of all the other parties.”

Environmentalists criticized the statement – “So little progress after a whole year of Minister meetings and negotiations is not only a wasted opportunity, it falls dangerously short of what is needed to protect people and nature from climate change.”

The EU thinks – “new, shared vision by the major economies” that would support the UN-led effort on a new global warming accord. This is a strong signal to citizens around the world.”

In the end, it will be up to individual countries, says Fukuda, “The G8 will implement aggressive midterm total emission reduction targets on a country by country basis.”

My bet, a lot of money was wasted at the G-8 Summit if anybody thought the purpose was to come away with a workable and enforceable plan to get the world to be better stewards of our home.

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I am not sure how many musketeers there were, but, there are at least eight G-8 Summiteers who are acting like their Disney counterparts. The group
just started meeting today and have already all but concluded that they won’t reach a deal on fighting global warming.

Here’s why:

1. Global inflation resulting from soaring food and fuel prices are too much.

2. African poverty is too big

3. Japan’s PM Fukuda can’t get everyone on the same page.

4. Can you say Copenhagen 2009 instead of making a decision now?

5. The Canadian Environment Minister – “I don’t think we’re expecting a deal. That will come under the UN auspices in Copenhagen next year.”

6. President Bush wants emerging economies, China, India and Brazil to sign on. That’s not happening.

7. France says that they are not optimistic.

8. Nobody is.

The end result expected – a ‘fuzzy agreement on long term goals.’ In that event, Fukuda will save face and everyone else can wait for the new U. S. president to take office in January 2009.

What? No leadership without the U.S.? Come on guys!

The Junior Eight Summit group handed the senior group a proposal -

1.  ”put forth a treaty that includes all nations and has strict but reasonable guidelines for meeting greenhouse gas emission targets.”

2.  “have progressive short- and long-term goals and a revised framework which ensures that promises are kept.”

3.  “promote the rights of children, especially girls”

4. “boost investment in Africa”

5. “tackle education and health problems”

6. “further gain a young person’s perspective on global issues.”

7. ”Let’s turn young people’s ideas into actions, and not just words.”

The J-8 Summit started in Britain in 2005 and has met annually since. The declaration was adopted by 39 young people aged 14-17 who are representing the G-8 and other countries – Japan, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, the United States, Iraq, Mongolia, Nepal and South Africa.

The Bible says “a little child shall lead them” (Is. 11:6). When will we old goats begin to follow?