By Gillian Murdoch (For related story see CLIMATE/G20 or [ID:nSP79390]) March 15 (Reuters) - Energy and environment ministers from 20 of the world's top greenhouse gas emitting nations are meeting in Japan to discuss climate change, clean energy and sustainable development. Here are some questions and answers about the G20's fourth meeting focused on tackling climate change, known as the Gleneagles Dialogue. WHO IS ATTENDING? -- Energy and environment ministers from the Group of Eight, (Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States) and emerging economies such as Brazil, China and India. -- The World Bank, International Energy Agency and NGOs. -- Former British prime minister Tony Blair. He initiated the Gleneagles Dialogue in 2005, calling climate change "probably, long-term the single most important issue we face as a global community." WHAT IS THE G20? -- A group of 20 energy and environment ministers comprising member nations of the Gleneagles Dialogue. It is different from the G20 grouping of finance ministers and central bank governors. WHICH COUNTRIES ARE MEMBERS? -- Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, the United States, and the European Union (represented by Slovenia, which holds the rotating presidency). WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT TO THE CLIMATE DEBATE? -- The G20 emits almost 20 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, or about 78 percent of global emissions. G8 nations contribute 45 percent of this, other members contribute 33 percent. -- The U.S. (23 percent) and China (16 percent) are the G20's greatest individual emitters. WHAT'S ON THE MEETING'S AGENDA? -- Host Japan is expected to push for a "sectoral approach" to cutting greenhouse gas emissions after 2012. -- Funding for clean energy projects in developing nations. -- Japan's goal to halve global greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2050. Talks will also aim to try to thrash out fair and equitable emissions targets among the major emitters to take into account different levels of economic development among members. -- Technologies for energy efficiency and cleaner energy production. -- WHAT'S THE SECTORAL APPROACH? -- Industries with high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, such as electricity, cement, steel, oil refining and pulp/paper, reduce emissions by using the best available technology. -- Big developing countries such as China, for example, would agree to voluntary GHG intensity targets for each sector (e.g: GHG/tonne of steel). In exchange, they would receive clean technology incentives from developed countries. WHAT COMES NEXT? -- Results of the meeting feed into the G8 leaders' summit to be held on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido in July and could also help guide U.N.-led talks aimed at agreeing a global pact by end-2009 to replace the Kyoto Protocol by 2013. Sources: Reuters, Ministry of the Environment, Japan, (http://www.env.go.jp/earth/g8/en/g20/index.html), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan, (http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/economy/summit/2008/other/g8_develop.html), official G-20 Web site (http://www.g20.org) (Writing by Gillian Murdoch, Singapore Editorial Reference Unit)
A young Buddhist nun at Arya Tara School in Kathmandu tries to adjust her robes as her colleagues from Tibet take part in anti-China demonstrations March 14, 2008. The Tibetan refugees ...
