U.N. says must speed up work on climate after G8

TOYAKO, Japan (Reuters) - The United Nations said on Wednesday that the Group of Eight's statement on climate change, food security and development provided an "initial direction" but that quicker international action was needed on these issues.

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the G8's statement on the long-term goal of reducing emissions by at least 50 percent by 2050.

But he added that the world community needed to take further steps to reach an international deal on ambitious midterm emissions reduction targets for developed countries by the end of 2009. He said developing countries also needed to make "meaningful efforts" to reduce growth in their emissions.

"The discussion here provides initial direction for global efforts that must be accelerated in the coming weeks and months," Ban said in a statement.

Climate change and soaring oil and food prices were at the top of the agenda as G8 leaders held their annual gathering together with other heads of state in Toyako in northern Japan.

On development aid, Ban said: "We must use the current crisis as an opportunity to significantly step up public and private investment into agricultural production and research, and into rural infrastructure at levels above $25 billion (12.6 billion pounds) per year."

(Reporting by Chikafumi Hodo; Editing by Hugh Lawson)