President Bush's Last G8 Summit

July 7 to 9, the leaders of the largest industrialized countries in the world will meet in Toyako, Hokkaido, Japan for the 2008 G8 summit. This will be the last summit for US President George W. Bush as his final months in office wind down.

The summit is scheduled to spend much of its agenda discussing global climate change and the global food crisis.

Ironically, with the global economy in decline, the happiest leader at the meeting will not be an official member but an invited guest. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is riding high on his nation's and his continent's newfound international muscle. "South America is going through a magical moment. I do not recall having had in my whole political life such a reasonable combination of economic growth, macroeconomic stability and, at the same time, a strong policy of social inclusion," Lula said in a pre-summit interview.

More Resources:

• Can the G8 act as one on climate change?, from Monsters and Critics
• President Bush to Travel to Japan for G8 Summit, by VOA News
• Call on G8 Leaders to Stand Up for Darfur, from Human Rights First
• Food crisis mounts pressure on G8 to deliver in Africa, from The Economic Times (India)
• Japan PM seeks climate change goal at G8, from AFP
• South America shows off its 'magical moment' at G8 summit, from the Earth Times
• Official site of the 2008 G8 Summit

The G8 has no permanent office or secretariat. But the University of Toronto maintains a great Web site tracking the history and the future of the G8.