Green Energy at G8 | Green Energy News

June 1, 2003 – Vol.8 No.10

GREEN ENERGY AT G8.

President Bush left the G8 Summit in Evian, France early for a photo-op trip to the Middle East to promote his Roadmap for Peace.

Too bad.

He missed the good stuff that came out of the three-day conference.

On the final day the remaining world leaders endorsed a number of plans, among them one titled Science and Technology for Sustainable Development - a G8 Action Plan.

In the G-8 Science and Technology Plan leaders of the eight major industrial nations agreed to set up a high-level group of officials to promote research collaboration in global observation, in cleaner, sustainable and efficient energy, and in agricultural sustainability, productivity and biodiversity conservation.

The Actions needed for greener energy were covered extensively... energy efficiency wherever possible... an increased global share of renewables... more research, development and deployment of new, clean energy technologies... sharing of that research... research on hydrogen and fuel cells... development of a code of standards for the next generation of vehicles... development of cleaner diesel and biodiesel... development of cleaner fossil fuel technologies... carbon sequestration... and more.

Certainly a long list worth examining.

But does an agreed-upon list of actions mean action will really be taken? Not necessarily. There’s nothing binding here. But a list on a sheet of paper can become a list of talking points for leaders to discuss within their own governments and with each other throughout the year, and certainly at the next G8 summit in 2004 - hosted by the United States. Visit the G8 and the Action Plans at http://www.g8.fr/evian/english .