In the build up to the G8 summit the Italian parliament has adopted two motions that ask for continued dialogue on the environment with the US and the cancellation of debt for poor countries.
Along with other EU countries the Italian government was asked to maintain a "profitable and intense dialogue with the United States to find common measures to protect the environment."
The plea comes at a time of growing concern for proponents of the Kyoto protocol which has faced mounting skepticism in recent months.
The protocol was thrown into doubt in March when the world's biggest polluter, the United States, which by itself accounts for a quarter of global emissions, anounced it would not ratify it.
Signed in 1997, the protocol commits 38 industrialized countries to cutting global emissions of carbon-rich greenhouse gases by 5.2 percent by 2008-2012 compared to their levels in 1990.
The two motions also call on G8 countries to cancel debt in the world's poorest countries and stress the need to respect the right to peaceful demonstrations.
Protests involving an array of anti-globalization groups and other organizations have become a standard feature of such international summit meetings, with a fringe of demonstrators generally sparking violence.
The government was also asked to list the fight against poverty, endemic diseases and AIDS among its key themes at the meeting.
The G8 summit, bringing together the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States plus representatives of the European Union, takes place from July 20 to 22 in the Italian city of Genoa.
The two similar motions were put forward by the two main wings of Italian politics in order to demonstrate unity in Italy's international policies. |
