JAPAN: Japan wants global emissions to be halved by 2050

Japan put forward an early global warming proposal ahead of the June 6 - 8 Group of Eight summit in Germany where climate change is expected to be a hot topic. Japan, and Japanese Prime minister Shinzo Abe in particular, wants to exert leadership in drafting plans to extend beyond 2012 the Kyoto protocol on cutting carbon emissions, named after the country's ancient city where the pact was signed in 1997. "We call on all countries around the world to reach an international consensus on the long-term goal of halving emissions by 2050 from today's levels," Abe announced in a speech outlining his "Cool Earth 50" proposals. Abe said a post-Kyoto framework should include all major emitters such as the United States, China and India and also take into account the diverse conditions in different countries and be compatible with both economic growth and environmental protection, he said. "A global response will require compatibility with each country's economic growth. If the framework required economic growth be sacrificed, the participation of many countries can not be expected," he said. Germany has been pushing for G8 members to commit to cutting world greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. Japan's targets would go beyond the G8 and make the deal global. The United States, which is the world's biggest polluter and pulled out of the Kyoto pact in 2001, has said it will keep rejecting targets or plans to cap greenhouse emissions blamed for global warming that it fears could hurt economic growth. Japan, itself one of the world's top emitters of greenhouse gases, will host next year's G8 summit and the environment will be a key issue there. A centrepiece of Abe's proposal was a pledge to create a new form of financial aid to provide support for developing countries. "I hereby announce that Japan will extend wide-ranging support to developing countries with high aspirations that say 'No' to further global warming, make efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while achieving economic growth," Abe said. Other developed countries and international bodies such as the World Bank and United Nations could also take part, he said. Abe launched a campaign to ensure Japan achieved its own target under the Kyoto Protocol of cutting its carbon dioxide emissions by 6 percent in the 2008-2012 period from 1990 levels. Japan's actual emissions were 14 percent above its Kyoto goal as of March 2006.

ITN Source | May 25, 2007

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