G8

G8, the Group of Eight (formerly the Group of Six) is an international forum for the governments of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union (the EU is represented within the G8, but cannot host or chair).

In June 2008, the G8 held its annual meeting in Toyako, Japan, where the world leaders in a commondeclaration committed, on 8 July, to reduce "by at least 50% by 2050" global emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) and to define subsequently, country by country, medium-term objectives. These emission targets has however been criticized of being too unambitious by the G5 coalition consisting of China, India, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa. G5 would have liked the G8-countries to take on a greater share of the global reductions in GHG emissions, making the reduction commitment in the leading developed countries to be around 25-40 % by 2020, and 80-95 % by 2050.