Climate clash looming at G8

Updated 12.49 Fri May 18 2007

Keywords: climate change, US, Germany, G8, carbon

The US will continue to reject emissions targets or cap and trade schemes, preferring to fight climate change by funding clean energy technologies, its chief climate negotiator has said.

G8 host Germany wants participating countries to agree next month to halve carbon emissions by 2050 and promote carbon trading as a way to deter greenhouse gas emissions.

"We don't believe targets and timetables are important, or a global cap and trade system. It's important not to jeopardise economic growth" - Harlan Watson

But such demands on the world's biggest carbon emitter are set to fall on deaf ears.

Speaking on the fringes of a UN hosted climate change meeting in Bonn, the US chief negotiator Harlan Watson said: "We don't believe targets and timetables are important, or a global cap and trade system.

"It's important not to jeopardise economic growth."

Mr Watson also rejected the suggestion of a long-term target to halve or more greenhouse gas emissions within the next 50 years.