Moving toward a cooperative future at the G-8 summit

At the G-8 summit on July 15-17 in St. Petersburg, the first chaired by Russia, I will present four goals: to refocus the rich and the emerging countries on the imperative of addressing global warming; convince them of the urgent need for new funding to overcome poverty and pandemics; support Africa at a time when it is beginning to recover; and combat terrorism as well as the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, particularly by dealing with the Iranian and North Korean issues. Indeed, we must seize the opportunities of globalization in this extraordinary period of global growth that is transforming the future of mankind, while correcting its unacceptable social and ecological excesses.

For France, the raison d'être of the Group of 8, an informal forum for dialogue, is to prepare joint responses to our shared challenges. The G-8's method, based on personal contacts between leaders, is to seek consensus in a spirit of shared responsibility. This is why it has opened up to emerging countries such as India, China, Brazil, and Mexico – without which we can no longer address any major global issues – and to the representatives of poor countries.

Energy must not be a political instrument. In this phase of rapid economic growth, we must deal with it in the framework of a global partnership for sustainable development. If we continue on our current course, increased consumption of fossil fuels will be disastrous for the environment and climate.

In St. Petersburg, I would like us to find ways to improve the functioning of the oil and gas markets; promote dialogue between producers, consumers, and transit countries; accelerate the transition toward the post-oil era, and help emerging countries to plan ecologically responsible growth.

We must strongly promote renewable and alternative energies – including nuclear energy, ensuring we have the strictest safety and nonproliferation guarantees – and energy-saving policies. Each of our countries should set ambitious national goals in these areas by the end of this year.

Global threats require global responses. We shall not solve the problem of global warming if we each go our own way or increase the number of unilateral or partial solutions. This is particularly true for global warming. I am concerned by the weakening of the international regime for climate change. We must reverse this trend. Here, the seven G-8 members party to the Kyoto Protocol have a particular responsibility. They must set an example by respecting their commitments, as Europe and France are doing. It is up to them to show the way forward for the post-2012 period. We seek an ambitious agreement commensurate with the threat posed to humanity, one committing all the G-8 countries, including the United States, as well as emerging countries.

The current ecological crisis demands effective and coordinated global responses. I will call upon my counterparts to commit to the rapid establishment of a United Nations Environment Organization.

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