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China is key to climate progress, says Bush

Any agreement on global warming will be contingent on the participation of China and India, President George W Bush said on Sunday. Referring to addressing common environmental goals on the eve of the G8 summit, Bush said: " ... I also am realistic enough to tell you that if China and India don't share that same aspiration, then we're not going to solve the problem."

The Group of Eight leaders began a three-day summit in Hokkaido, northern Japan, on Monday. Last year they committed at Heiligendamm, Germany, to "consider seriously" halving greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050. Some countries would like to see this become an agreement.

China and India, who will take part in climate-change meetings at the summit, have argued that they cannot be expected to cut emissions before they have industrialised. India said it would tell the G8 summit that a meaningful global deal to fight climate change will only be possible if it is linked to food and energy security. Rich nations say such a stand will make a pact difficult.

Japan, meanwhile, said it will not negotiate new targets on CO2 emissions until it sees what the new US president has to offer on climate change.

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