The G8 summit last week in Germany was a huge success - say all parties involved in the biggest and one of the most expensive political meetings ever in the history of Germany.Chancellor Merkel indeed won - her constant and nerve-breaking initiatives to tackle climate change finally cracked the hardest climate nut, George W. Bush. Merkel's negotiators worked on this success for weeks. Victoy was not sure at all: A few days before the summit started the German government still warned of to much expectations.President Bush, however, won too. When it comes to save from his presidency as much as possible he finally can claim to have come to an agreement with his allies of the G8. Mr. Bush was far too much into critiques with his own proposal to set up a Post-Kyoto-Treaty that would not be under the umbrella of the United Nations. The protesters won as well. They made their way through the wood and the countryside to finally arrive at the security fence. This was the horror scenery for police. Due to riots on the streets of Rostock the weekend before the summit they did not want the risk of escalations right in front of the summit site. Peaceful protesters made it through the security lines and showed to the world that protesting in Germany is still part of a decent and democratic political discourse.In the end the countries in Africa won, too. And this may become the only real measurable victory at all. While Bono and Groenemeyer sang for the continent the politicians decided to raise the help to cure those sick of Aids and other diseases. Now it remains to be seen - as it was after the summit of Gleaneagles in 2005 - if the richest nations of the world keep their promise and help to combate climate change and care for the poor.The G8 discussed in the Atlantic Community

The streets to Heiligendamm were empty last week when I went there. Nothing but police men, a lonely citizen once in a while. It is not fun to live here theses days.

Protesters are about to reach the restricted area the radio reported. So I had to turn my car and follow new directions to get into Kuehlungsborn the village next to Heiligendamm. Here are 3000 journalists from all around the world to report about the G8 summit.

There was a lot of confusion before the summit about an agreement about combating climate change. One distraction here was the focus on Africa. But this is also not an attracting topic. The G8 member states have not set in practice for Africa what they promised in the years before.The protesters want to make sure that the voice for the poor will not be overheard in Heiligendamm. However, violent riots in the city of Rostock the weekend before the summit rose the question of how to protest the right way.On Tuesday night there is a welcome party for the journalists. A nice camp in Kuehlungsborn, more comfortable than the camps of the protesters I suppose.
On Wednesday the protesters cross the forbidden lines and reach the fence they were never intended to see. Blockades unable the journalist to drive over to Heiligendamm. So they see what happens over Television as well.
In the end Chancellor Merkel reaches an agreement with the United States. The Kyoto follow-up will be under the umbrella of the United Nations. They agree to a 50 percent reduction of their CO2 emissions until 2050. Merkel called this a "huge success". Before the summit it seemed that the US will deny any agreement of this sort.

Angela Merkel and George W. Bush
In the end Heiligendamm has returned to normal. The politicians have gone, so have the protesters. Leaving the area one can see people returning to the streets, starting their everyday live again. As small as te agreement here seems to be, the protests of so many helped the German Chancellery to convince the American government to join in a common statement about the reduction of CO2 emissions.

The G8 summit may not lead to the results climate activists have longed for. German Chancellor Merkel said last Friday expectations are due to be disappointed. The G8 member states have not agreed yet on definite statements and numbers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“The G8 nations have politically less in common than the EU member states”, Merkel said, explaining why according to her opinion it has been easier to define emission reduction fot the European Union during the summit in Mach. A common understanding is yet to be developed, the stateswoman said. “I am not sure we will achieve this in Heiligendamm”. The groups preparing the summit in the beginning of June on the German coast have not been able to negotiate a final document. Regarding climate change observers say a lot of the paper has not been agreed upon. If this is not improving, the politicians themselves will have to find the right words during their meeting. There are no signs the G8 summit will be a victory march, however Japan – a G8 member – proposed to half the world emissions of today by 2050. The German government want to achieve the same - but from the point of the world emissions of 1990.