G8 Summit Focused on Economy, Climate Change
July 9th, 2009 | 
Leaders of the world’s eight major industrial countries, meeting in central Italy are reporting progress in their discussions on efforts to deal with global warming.
U.S. officials at the G-8 summit in the earthquake-ravaged city of L’Aquila say the leaders have agreed to set a goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent for industrial countries by the year 2050. That would be part of an effort to cut total global emissions by 50 percent from 1990 levels.
They also agreed to limit the rise in global temperatures by two degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels.
On economic issues, the G-8 leaders affirmed their commitment to support financial growth, reject projectionist measures and keep markets open.
Some of the leaders toured L’Aquila for a look at the devastation from the April earthquake that killed nearly 300 in the area.
The leaders are also expected to discuss nuclear proliferation, world hunger, aid to developing countries, the political crises in Iran and Honduras, and ethnic violence in China’s Xinjiang region.
U.S. President Barack Obama met with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano in Rome before traveling to L’Aquila.
A series of aftershocks has plagued the area around L’Aquila and Italian officials say they are prepared to airlift G-8 leaders away from the summit site should another major quake hit.
The G-8 plan to meet with their counterparts from developing countries.
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