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G8 ministers braced for environment talks

27 May 2008

G8 environment ministers are in Kobe, Japan, this weekend to pave the way for a full G8 summit in July.

Government ministers from the UK, France, Germany, the US, Japan, Russia, Canada and Italy will debate deforestation and carbon reduction issues.

Agreement is also expected on a technology transfer fund for promoting so-called 'clean' technology in developing countries.

Rumours are circulating about a possible unveiling of a Japanese carbon cap-and-trade scheme similar to that which operates in Europe by Japanese prime minister Yasuo Fukuda.

The meeting comes as a Reuters survey found emissions from industrialised nations during 2006 were at their lowest level since 1990, with all the G8 nations cutting greenhouse gas emission withy the exception of Russia.

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