G8 leaders agree historic deal to cut emissions (+ analysis); Australian arrested for stealing Chinese state secrets; suicide bombings kill 34 in Iraq; India build nuclear sub; and more

Top of the Agenda: G8 Leaders Reach Agreement on Climate Change

Leaders of the Group of Eight agreed to work to significantly cut (CNN) their greenhouse gas emissions at their summit in Italy on Wednesday. The countries committed to cutting carbon emissions by at least 80 percent by 2050, but they stopped short (WSJ) of specifying tactics they would use to accomplish the emissions reduction, and of setting shorter-term goals.

G8 leaders "called upon major emerging economies to undertake quantifiable actions to collectively reduce emissions significantly below business-as-usual by a specified year," the White House said. But Group of Five developing nations, led by China and India, would not commit (LAT) to the G8's specific targets, citing concerns about stemming economic growth.

The disagreements over the 2050 goals underline the larger difficulties (NYT) facing those attempting to forge a deal at the international conference on the issue of climate change in Copenhagen this December. Mike Froman, the chief U.S. negotiator for the G8, said the United States will continue trying to convince developing nations to "firm up commitments" on climate change in the run up to Copenhagen.

Background:

A CFR Crisis Guide examines the policy implications of climate change.

Analysis:

In an analysis piece by Reuters, Alden Meyer of the Union of Concerned Scientists said although the G8's targets represent "progress" because they are science-based, "it's a missed opportunity if they don't set clear 2050 and 2020 targets about how to reach that goal."

The Christian Science Monitor's Bright Green blog looks at how countries could decide by how much they should have to reduce their carbon emissions.

 

PACIFIC RIM: China Threatens Execution

A Chinese official in the city of Urumqi said those who committed crimes during ethnic riots earlier this week may be executed (al Jazeera). Li Zhi, the Communist party chief for Urumqi, issued the warning to the more than 1,400 people arrested. Ethnic clashes on Sunday killed over 150 people and injured over 800. Protests seemed to be calming down Wednesday.

The Washington Post profiles exiled Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer, who the Chinese government accuses of orchestrating the protests, a charge Kadeer denies.

Beijing Arrests: Chinese officials confirmed Thursday they had arrested four employees, including an Australian national, of the mining giant Rio Tinto on charges of stealing state secrets that could hurt China's economic security. The Wall Street Journal says the arrests come amid rising tension between China and the mining giants over iron-ore prices and a failed $19.5 billion deal between Rio Tinto and China's state-run aluminum group Chinalco. Australia's Foreign Minister Stephen Smith, however, said he saw no evidence (BBC) to suggest any connection between the detentions and the canceled deal.

 

ELSEWHERE:

Car bombings in Iraq.

India gets nuclear submarine.

This is an excerpt of the CFR.org Daily News Brief. The full version is available on CFR.org