G-8 Climate Change Agreement Boils Down to "We'll Consider It"

You know what it means at a theatrical audition when the director says "we'll get back to you." That's about all that the G-8 Summit agreement on climate change trumpeted in the media today comes down to. The actual language of the G-8 Climate Statement reveals that the accord essentially consists of a promise only to "consider seriously" the goal of halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2050:

In setting a global goal for emissions reductions in the process we have agreed today involving all major emitters, we will consider seriously the decisions made by the European Union, Canada and Japan which include at least a halving of global emissions by 2050.

So, they'll think about it. "Don't get back to us, we'll get back to you."