Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who is currently serving as a Middle East envoy, is now focusing on addressing climate change by proposing a plan for the world to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2050. Blair recently visited Tokyo to introduce a climate change initiative and announced plans to meet with officials in China and India in the coming week to discuss his proposals with the world's two largest developing economies. Blair emphasized the need for a new global agreement to reduce emissions, acknowledging the challenges in reaching a consensus on the specifics of such a deal. He shared his ongoing work on this issue in a video on his website, www.tonyblairoffice.org. Blair expressed in an interview with the Guardian newspaper that he plans to suggest a 50 percent reduction in emissions by 2050. He emphasized the urgency of this goal and stressed the importance of reaching a global agreement that involves key countries like America and China. Blair's spokesperson Matthew Doyle stated that Blair's efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent were supported by the United States and European Union, although they had not officially agreed to the proposal. Doyle mentioned that Blair had discussed the project with U.S. President George W. Bush, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Blair emphasized the importance of reaching an agreement on reducing greenhouse gases within two years, warning that without substantial action, the focus would shift from prevention to adaptation by 2020. He also noted that progress would not be achieved by simply telling people to consume less, as the Chinese and Indian governments are committed to economic growth. They have a large population of extremely impoverished individuals, and they are planning to industrialize and improve their living conditions, which is a positive step," Blair stated. After stepping down as prime minister, Blair has been working as an envoy for the Quartet, focusing on economic development for Palestinians. He has faced backlash for taking on lucrative business ventures, including working with Zurich Financial Services to create insurance products that address the impacts of climate change.