A VITAL challenge for all G-8 members in varying ways, energy is an essential agenda item at the group's July 15-17 summit in St. Petersburg. This year's focus on energy security--coinciding with Russia's 2006 G-8 presidency--is not accidental. Faced with increasing questions about its conduct in the United States and Europe, Moscow correctly understands that its vast energy resources are its principal claim to membership in a group where some prominent American politicians--notably Senator John McCain (R-AZ)--no longer welcome Russian participation. In the eyes of many, energy is one of relatively few areas where the Kremlin can bring something positive to the table. (Of course, after the Russian government's poor handling of a price dispute with Ukraine at the beginning of the year, leading to disruptions of Russian gas supplies to Western Europe, not everyone would agree.)
It seems, however, that few G-8 members will likely be inclined at this summit to try again to engage Washington on U.S. international climate policy, given the failure last year of British Prime Minister Tony Blair in leveraging the political capital he thought he had amassed vis-a-vis the United States to convince President Bush to sign on to one of his signature issues. But a lack of continued focus on climate at the G-8 would be a mistake: It is inextricably linked to any discussion of energy security and should be a key consideration in energy policy decisions.
