Tackling Climate Change with words?

I will remember the recent G8 conference on tackling climate change because of two statements, one written and one spoken:

• We seek to ... consider and adopt ... the goal of achieving at least 50% reduction of global emissions by 2050, recognising that this global challenge can only be met by a global response, in particular, by the contributions from all major economies, consistent with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. (Full text here).

What an amazing statement. International committees such as these, especially the self-proclaimed 8 most powerful countries in the world, are notoriously wishy-washy in the words they choose to express their results. Rarely are hard and fast objectives written down, the Kyoto Protocol being one that did (although, of course, not meeting its objectives doesn't really have any punishment), and despite the fantastic number of 50% being quoted here, it really is a nothing statement. They don't commit to a 50% reduction in global emissions by 2050. They don't even commit to considering it. They say they will seek to consider it. So really, they don't even have to think about it, they can say they had a go about thinking about it, but it just didn't work out. The second part of the statement says that the responses to this seeking to consider depend on a country's capabilities - here is another way to opt out - "we just didn't have the capability to do it!" At least the usual statements for opting out of these things - "its bad for jobs" and "well China and India aren't doing it" - have an element of truth to them, even if they're narrow and naive viewpoints. This new statement allows for laziness, which is surely worse.

The next statement I will remember from the conference was by George Bush as he left:

• "Good bye from the world's biggest polluter." (More here)
  

Bush is famous for his charisma, but as a joke, this wasn't particularly funny given his record on climate change. Oh well, Bush is on his way out now, and we will all miss his humour.

Hopefully one day the world's leaders will strongly commit to the task of tackling climate change. If so, then I have no doubt that we can solve it. There are many scientists in this world just waiting for the chance to take on these problems.