Labor ministers from the Group of Eight industrialized nations met with international trade union and business groups Sunday to discuss the reduction of workplace emissions of "greenhouse" gases blamed for global warming, officials said. The talks, in Niigata on Japan's north coast, are aimed at boosting support for global environmental initiatives before Japan hosts the G-8 summit in July. The labor ministers, whose formal talks start Monday, are also expected to address concerns about growing income disparity, aging and uncertainty over financial markets, Japan's Health and Welfare Ministry said. Participants at Sunday's session issued a statement urging G-8 nations to promote sustainable labor markets and environmental protection at workplaces.
See "G-8 labor officials gather in Japan to seek environment-friendly working style", Mari Yamaguchi, Minneapolis Star Tribune, May 11, 2008