RUSUTSU, Japan - Emerging economies are objecting to a roadmap laid out by the Group of Eight industrialized nations that would see the world's greenhouse gases halved by 2050.

Five developing nations reportedly balked at numerical targets proposed by the G8 leaders at this week's summit in northern Japan. A Japanese official told journalists at the summit that China, India, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa rejected the G8 targets at a meeting of the world's major economies on Wednesday.

The United States brokered the major economies meeting to bring together the G8 countries with South Africa, Brazil, China, Indonesia, Mexico, South Korea, India and Australia.

A statement issued after the meeting made no mention of the mid-century emissions -reduction targets endorsed a day earlier by G8 leaders. Instead, it makes a vague reference to a long-term goal for reducing global emissions.

Three other nations invited to the major economies meeting - Australia, Indonesia and South Africa - reportedly backed the G8 approach.

An aide to U.S. President George W. Bush conceded no consensus was reached during the major economies meeting.

"They want to be sure they can take steps that won't wreck their economy," James Connaughton, Bush's environment adviser, said in Toyako, Japan.

"We are not in complete convergence yet."

Prime Minister Stephen Harper says it's inevitable that developing nations will need to do most of the heavy lifting to lower greenhouse gas emissions.

"By 2050, the developed world will probably represent no more than 20 per cent of emissions," he told Canadian journalists at a news conference on Wednesday.

"So, when we say we need participation by developing countries, this is not a philosophical position. This is a mathematical certainty.

"You can't get a 50 per cent cut from 20 per cent of emissions."

Harper said that doesn't necessarily mean emerging economies would need to cut their carbon output, and they might get away with slowing the rate by which their emissions grow.

"I don't think the argument that we should do more if others are not doing anything at all will be a very credible argument that will get anybody very far," he said.

"It's an interesting argument, but it can't be made by those who aren't doing anything. So I think the pressure will be on them to do something."

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