From WNYC in New York, this is NPR's On the Media.

Brooke Gladstone is away this week. I'm Bob Garfield.

Some consensus on climate change.

Eight world leaders agreed to a centerpiece of the G8 summit.

The end of next year, American other nations will set a long-term global goal for reducing greenhouse gas.

Further than he ever has in agreeing to a, quote, substantial cut.

This week's G8 summit in Germany provided a rare face-to-face discussion among the world's

economic powers on the problem of climate change. It also provided a notable change in

rhetoric from President Bush, who advanced a plan that, while

not exactly embracing absolute targets, would commit the United States to reducing carbon emissions.

Why the about-face from the man who has turned his back on global partnerships like the Kyoto Agreement?

One hint came from recently inaugurated French President Nicholas Sarkozy,

who before he left for Germany consulted on climate issues with former Vice President Al Gore.

Could it be that President Bush has been backed into a political corner with the help of Gore's

book and movie about global warming and inconvenient truth?

If the president has been forced by public opinion to show leadership on climate change,

how much credit goes to an atmosphere-hugging documentary for putting him there?

We asked Andrew Revkin, longtime environment reporter for the New York Times.

Andrew, welcome back to the show.

It's always a pleasure.

Before we get started on this week's events, I want to call your attention to a piece you did in 2001

after it became apparent that the White House was of no mind to sign on to the Kyoto Protocols.

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