Japan urges bold G8 targets for emission cuts
JAPAN: Japan urged rich countries on Sunday to take the lead in the
fight against global warming by setting bold national targets to cut
greenhouse gas emissions by well over 50 percent by 2050.
Ministers and representatives from the Group of Eight advanced
nations and major emerging countries gathered in Kobe, western Japan,
are trying to build momentum for U.N.-led climate change talks, an issue
to be taken up at a July leaders' summit.
But wide gaps exist both within the G8 and between rich and poorer
nations over how to share the burden for fighting climate change, blamed
for droughts, rising seas and more intense storms. "To halve global
emissions (by 2050), we as developed countries need to take the
initiative by setting a target well above 50 percent," Japanese
Environment Minister Ichiro Kamoshita said in a speech on the second day
of the gathering.
About 190 nations have agreed to negotiate by the end of 2009 a
successor treaty to the Kyoto pact, which binds 37 advanced nations to
cut emissions by an average of 5 percent below 1990 levels by 2008-12.
G8 leaders agreed last year in Germany to consider seriously a goal
to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, a proposal favoured by
Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Japan and Canada. "It is also important
for global emissions to peak out in the next 10 to 20 years to reach the
long-term target, and I hope that a shared view will be come out of the
(G8) summit," Kamoshita said.
Developing countries, though, are putting priority on growth and
balking at targets, while complaining that the United States, which
together with China is a top emitter, is not doing enough.
Japan is currently debating its own national target, and domestic
media have said it would announce in June a goal of reducing emissions
by 60-80 percent by mid-century.
Big emerging economies also want rich countries to help finance the
clean energy technologies they need to cut emissions.
Japan has pledged to pay $10 billion over five years to support
developing countries' fight against climate change and is aiming to
create a new multilateral fund with the United States and Britain. Now
Washington and Tokyo want other donors to take part too.
"It is vital to restrain the speed of increase in emissions by
developing countries, where emissions are increasing especially
rapidly," Kamoshita said. "Incentives are needed to support developing
countries' activities to reduce emissions."
Kobe, Reuters
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