The European Union and Germany, as President of the Group of Eight, called on global leaders to collaborate in addressing the urgent issue of global warming, which they identified as a significant threat to the world. German Chancellor Angela Merkel emphasized the seriousness of climate change at a security conference in Munich, stating that it required immediate action and cooperation from all nations. Merkel compared the challenge of climate change to a future war, underscoring the need for united efforts to combat it. Russian President Vladimir Putin, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates, and US Senator for Arizona John McCain were among those in the audience. The United States, Russia, and China have been hesitant to participate in global initiatives addressing climate change. However, Merkel has made addressing global warming a focal point of Germany's dual EU and G8 presidencies. She aims to urge countries to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, conserve energy, and transition to renewable fuels. Additionally, she has discussed advancing a framework agreement to reduce greenhouse gases post-2022, when the Kyoto Protocol expires. Germany's coalition of left and right parties is internally divided on various energy policies, and the government has opposed certain EU proposals to reduce emissions.