APEC Leaders Adopt Global Warming Statement

By Nancy-Amelia Collins
Sydney
08 September 2007

Pacific Rim leaders have adopted a statement on climate change setting forth the "aspirational goal" of reducing climate-changing emissions, rather than setting the firm emission-reduction targets that environmentalists would have liked to see. VOA's Nancy-Amelia Collins reports from the Australian city of Sydney, where the APEC summit is being held.

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Leaders of the 21 economies of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum agreed the world needs to "slow, stop, then reverse" the greenhouse gas emissions that are thought to be a major contributor to climate change.

The "Sydney Declaration," issued Saturday, also calls for APEC members to cover an additional 20 million hectares in the Pacific region with trees by the year 2020. This would be another move against climate change, as trees absorb greenhouse gases.