Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, known for his international role as a Middle East envoy, is now focusing on addressing climate change by proposing a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2050. Blair recently visited Tokyo to introduce his climate change initiative and plans to meet with officials in China and India to discuss his proposals. Blair emphasized the need for a new global agreement with significant emissions reductions, acknowledging the challenge of determining the specifics of such a deal. In a recent interview with the Guardian newspaper, Blair stated that he plans to suggest cutting emissions in half by the middle of the century. He emphasized the urgency of this goal and stressed that achieving a 50 percent reduction by 2050 should be a key focus. Blair also highlighted the importance of securing a comprehensive global agreement, which must involve major emitters such as America and China. Blair's spokesperson, Matthew Doyle, stated that although the United States and the European Union supported Blair's efforts to reduce greenhouse gases by 50 percent, they had not officially agreed to this target. Doyle mentioned that Blair had discussed the initiative with President George W. Bush, Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and Chancellor Angela Merkel. Blair emphasized the urgent need for a global agreement on reducing greenhouse gases within two years, warning that failure to take significant action by 2020 would result in focusing on adaptation rather than prevention. He also noted that simply telling people to consume less would not lead to progress, as countries like China and India are committed to economic growth. He stated that they have a large population of extremely poor individuals and they are planning to industrialize and improve their living conditions, which is appropriate. Blair has been working as an envoy for the Quartet, promoting economic development for Palestinians, since leaving office as prime minister last year. He has faced backlash for taking on profitable business, publishing, and public speaking opportunities. One of his business ventures includes assisting insurer Zurich Financial Services in creating insurance products to address the impacts of climate change.