The Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has called for the world to reduce its CO₂ output with 50% by the year 2050. His call comes in the run up to next month’s G8 summit in Germany.

The current G8 president, German chancellor Angela Merkel, will attempt to get the G8 to commit to cutting greenhouse gas emissions at that summit. Abe will succeed Merkel in the G8 presidency in January of 2008.

His statement seems to be an indication that the matter will remain on the G8′s agenda whether an agreement is reached in Berlin or not. Though he also specifically called on China, which is not a G8 member, to reduce its CO₂ emissions.

Whether such an agreement will be reached is currently difficult to gauge. There are strong reports that the US are opposing any firm commitments. On the other hand Tony Blair, the British Prime Minister, has said the US may still back an agreement at the upcoming summit.

More on Shinzo Abe’s statement is available from the Internation Herald Tribune. More on the US position at the G8 is available from the BBC here and here