DW-World.de
Deutsche Welle

Major rich and developing nations have agreed at a summit on the Japanese island of Hokkaido to work together for a long-term reduction of carbon emissions but failed to set any specific goals. A statement issued at the end of the meeting of leaders of the Group of Eight industrialized nations as well as key developing countries said they would ''continue to work constructively together'' to tackle climate change. German Chancellor Angela Merkel called the ''shared vision'' a major step forward from the climate deal reached last year in Germany. However environmental groups have dismissed the G8 statement saying the leaders have failed to take decisive action on carbon emissions.