AN HISTORIC agreement by eight industrialised powers that global warming should be limited to 2 degrees has been undermined by their inability to convince developing nations to support the aspirational target.
The G8 on Tuesday agreed they should cut their greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050 as part of a global cut of 50 per cent.
It is the first time the US has joined other rich nations in recognising scientific warnings that temperatures must be kept within 2 degrees of pre-industrial levels to give the world a chance to avoid catastrophic climate change.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd cautiously welcomed the non-binding agreement, but warned real results hinged on breaking the deadlock in negotiations with developing nations including China and India.
Speaking ahead of the climate-focused meeting of the 17 members of the Major Economies Forum overnight, Mr Rudd said an agreement including the developed and developing world would not be possible at the talks in L'Aquila, Italy.
"There are 150 days to Copenhagen (climate summit in December) and we have got to give our negotiators fresh impetus, a fresh mandate, a fresh commissioning from their political leaders to try and forge an agreement because this will shape so much of the world's future," Mr Rudd said.
The G8 declaration was hailed as a symbolic victory, but included wriggle room: no clear baseline year against which emissions cut would be measured was nominated.
It has ramifications for Australia, which has a 2050 target of only a 60 per cent cut below 2000 levels. The Government has promised to boost this to 80 per cent after the next election if an ambitious climate treaty is signed in Copenhagen.
Climate groups welcomed the agreement, but said it fell short of the firm commitments needed. "We need urgent action on a strong 2020 emissions reduction target if we are going to achieve … 2 degrees," WWF Australia's Paul Toni said.
The G8 agreement was overshadowed by major developing nations rejecting even an aspirational goal for 2050. They wanted to see rich nations commit to emissions reductions of 40 per cent by 2020 before agreeing to a long-term goal.
Australia's proposed target range is 5-25 per cent.
A final draft declaration for the Major Economies Forum, representing countries that produce more than three-quarters of global emissions, removed an earlier mention of specific targets. Instead, it said only that a global goal should be identified in the next five months.
Yesterday the Federal Government also released a new report showing that climate change is happening faster than expected. The summary of recent scientific research found changes in ocean temperatures, sea levels and Arctic sea ice were all at or beyond worst-case forecasts.
As a result, Australia faces a greater risk of recurring severe droughts and more heatwaves, floods and bushfires.
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