G8 leaders met in L’Aquila, Italy and agreed to cut carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. However, skeptics said it is a long-term goal that G8 leaders couldn’t be held responsible for if unsuccessful.
So the group wanted developing nations to make a similar commitment and proposed a 50% cut in the same time frame. India and China thought that would hinder their economic development, and with no definite plan from the richer countries on how anyone would hit the targets, they said no. US President Barack Obama acknowledged there were splits when he spoke to the media.
"While we don’t expect to solve this in one meeting or one summit, I believe we have made important strides forward. Climate change is one of the defining challenges of our time. The impacts can no longer be ignored. Every nation is at a risk and just as no one nation is responsible, no one nation can tackle it on its own," Obama added.