No G8 Global Warming Breakthrough

(AP)  Explosions in London - on the subway and on double-decker buses, leaving some dead and many others injured - overshadowed the Group of Eight summit in Scotland Thursday, suddenly pulling the meeting's host, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, away from his diplomatic duties.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said President Bush was also briefed on the explosions.

Earlier in the day in Gleneagles, Scotland, a discouraged Blair appeared with President Bush, acknowledging that the two leaders were unable to narrow their differences over how to tackle global warming at a summit thrown off stride by violent explosions in London.

"There is no point in going back over the Kyoto debate," said Blair, standing by President Bush following a breakfast meeting between the two.

Blair had sought to do just that at this year's Group of Eight nations economic summit. As summit host, Blair wanted the United States, along with the other countries, to set specific targets for reduction of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that many scientists believe are responsible for global warming.

The United States is the only G-8 country that has refused to ratify the Kyoto agreement which set forth targets for reducing greenhouse gases. The international treaty took effect in February.

"Now is the time to get beyond the Kyoto protocol and develop a strategy forward," President Bush told reporters.

This year's summit of the G-8 countries - the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Russia - was being held at an exclusive 850-acre golf resort under the kind of heavy security that has been the norm at these gatherings since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.

Hoping to avoid a repeat of protest violence that broke out Wednesday, police - many in riot gear - placed a "safety cordon" around a camp several miles from Gleneagles that houses some 5,000 activists. Police blocked the main entrance to the camp and urged protesters to stay inside.

In their joint appearance, Bush and Blair sought to play down differences and emphasize areas of mutual agreement.

President Bush praised Blair for inviting China, India and other emerging economies to the summit and its discussions of climate change. The president says the Kyoto treaty, aside from being bad for the U.S. economy, is seriously flawed because it does not include developing nations.

Well aware of the impasse with the United States over global warming, Blair has tried to shift the debate toward increasing support for emissions controls in China, the world's second-leading emitter of greenhouse gases after the United States.

"You made a wise move, Mr. Prime Minister," said Mr. Bush.

President Bush said he will stick to what he has previously supported - a reduction in U.S. emissions by roughly 18 percent.

"The goal of the United States is to neutralize and then reduce greenhouse gases," he said. "We are now developing the better way forward."

• 1
• 2
• Next Page »