G-8 must address global economy / Environment not only crucial issue in Hokkaido summit agenda

The environment will be the biggest item on the agenda at the Group of Eight summit of major nations July 7-9 at the Lake Toya hot srping resort in Toyakocho, Hokkaido. Above all, finding ways to cope with global warming is sure to become a focal issue.

But the world faces a host of other important problems as well. Given increasing concern about the global economic slowdown, it is necessary to speed preparations for economic discussions at the summit. If the world economy is thrown into chaos, causing a serious slowdown in world business, it is feared that efforts to protect the environment would be adversely affected.