ID :
165355
Wed, 03/02/2011 - 14:24
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/165355
The shortlink copeid
Japan urges emerging economies to tackle climate change responsibly
TOKYO, March 2 Kyodo - Japan on Wednesday urged emerging economies whose emissions of greenhouse gases have been on the rise to ''play a responsible role'' in the global fight against climate change, stressing the need to establish ''a truly fair and effective international framework'' to curb global warming.
State Foreign Secretary Yutaka Banno said in a speech at a symposium in Tokyo that it is necessary to ''duly reflect the basic structural changes under way in the international community'' in designing a post-Kyoto Protocol framework to combat global warming beyond 2012.
''Developed countries accounted for 65 percent of global emissions in 1990, but that percentage had decreased to 49 percent by 2007 and it continues to decline,'' Banno said. ''Developed countries need to take the lead in tackling climate change, but at the same time emerging economies are expected to play a responsible role.''
The state secretary reiterated Tokyo's opposition to establishing a new commitment period under the 1997 protocol, which covers only 27 percent of global heat-trapping gas emissions. The current commitment period for developed countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions under the Kyoto treaty will expire in 2012.
The United States has refused to ratify the Kyoto pact, while major emerging economies such as China and India are not obliged under the treaty to slash their emissions.
Banno said Japan's stance stems from ''the view of protecting global interests'' and called for a new international framework involving all major economies to prevent a gap in the implementation of emissions-cut measures among countries.
Japan came under fire for its position on the Kyoto treaty at a U.N. climate meeting in Cancun late last year, but Banno stressed that Tokyo will ''constructively contribute to discussions.''
''It is by no means correct to say that Japan is not active in its efforts to combat climate change,'' he said.
The state secretary said Tokyo will steadily implement its pledge to provide $15 billion by 2012 to help developing countries better cope with climate change. Of the amount, Japan has already disbursed $7.2 billion, he added.
At the symposium ahead of a two-day informal meeting on climate change in Tokyo from Thursday, Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, stressed the importance of agreeing on the post-Kyoto framework at a next U.N. climate meeting in Durban, South Africa, later this year.
''Japan has said publicly that it will not participate in a second commitment period. Now some countries are of the view that certain key elements of the protocol should continue to be upheld and be integrated into any further mitigation agreements,'' Figueres said.
''Ultimately, governments need to decide on this at the next U.N. climate change conference in Durban, especially in a view of avoiding a regulatory gap,'' she said.
Luis Alfonso de Alba, Mexican special representative for climate change, however, pointed to the possibility that countries will not reach an accord on the new framework at the meeting in South Africa and criticized Japan for ''fighting against the Kyoto Protocol.''
''There is no doubt that we need to move toward a system in which each of us, including Mexico obviously, will assume responsibilities according to its own capacity,'' he said. ''Just announcing that Japan will not be part of the second commitment period doesn't help in the process to move toward that aim.''
''Instead of having the burden of criticism because of the position on Kyoto, Japan should help in pushing this trend toward developing countries assuming greater responsibilities on an incremental basis,'' the Mexican envoy said.
Zhou Dadi from the Energy Research Institute of China's National Development and Reform Commission admitted that the Kyoto pact is ''not perfect'' as it covers only 27 percent of global emissions but called for keeping the treaty to show developed countries' commitment to taking the lead in global emissions-cut efforts.
''If even the Kyoto Protocol cannot be achieved, how can the people believe that better things, bigger things will be implemented?'' Zhou asked. ''So, I think the way is to improve the Kyoto Protocol but not to throw it out.''
State Foreign Secretary Yutaka Banno said in a speech at a symposium in Tokyo that it is necessary to ''duly reflect the basic structural changes under way in the international community'' in designing a post-Kyoto Protocol framework to combat global warming beyond 2012.
''Developed countries accounted for 65 percent of global emissions in 1990, but that percentage had decreased to 49 percent by 2007 and it continues to decline,'' Banno said. ''Developed countries need to take the lead in tackling climate change, but at the same time emerging economies are expected to play a responsible role.''
The state secretary reiterated Tokyo's opposition to establishing a new commitment period under the 1997 protocol, which covers only 27 percent of global heat-trapping gas emissions. The current commitment period for developed countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions under the Kyoto treaty will expire in 2012.
The United States has refused to ratify the Kyoto pact, while major emerging economies such as China and India are not obliged under the treaty to slash their emissions.
Banno said Japan's stance stems from ''the view of protecting global interests'' and called for a new international framework involving all major economies to prevent a gap in the implementation of emissions-cut measures among countries.
Japan came under fire for its position on the Kyoto treaty at a U.N. climate meeting in Cancun late last year, but Banno stressed that Tokyo will ''constructively contribute to discussions.''
''It is by no means correct to say that Japan is not active in its efforts to combat climate change,'' he said.
The state secretary said Tokyo will steadily implement its pledge to provide $15 billion by 2012 to help developing countries better cope with climate change. Of the amount, Japan has already disbursed $7.2 billion, he added.
At the symposium ahead of a two-day informal meeting on climate change in Tokyo from Thursday, Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, stressed the importance of agreeing on the post-Kyoto framework at a next U.N. climate meeting in Durban, South Africa, later this year.
''Japan has said publicly that it will not participate in a second commitment period. Now some countries are of the view that certain key elements of the protocol should continue to be upheld and be integrated into any further mitigation agreements,'' Figueres said.
''Ultimately, governments need to decide on this at the next U.N. climate change conference in Durban, especially in a view of avoiding a regulatory gap,'' she said.
Luis Alfonso de Alba, Mexican special representative for climate change, however, pointed to the possibility that countries will not reach an accord on the new framework at the meeting in South Africa and criticized Japan for ''fighting against the Kyoto Protocol.''
''There is no doubt that we need to move toward a system in which each of us, including Mexico obviously, will assume responsibilities according to its own capacity,'' he said. ''Just announcing that Japan will not be part of the second commitment period doesn't help in the process to move toward that aim.''
''Instead of having the burden of criticism because of the position on Kyoto, Japan should help in pushing this trend toward developing countries assuming greater responsibilities on an incremental basis,'' the Mexican envoy said.
Zhou Dadi from the Energy Research Institute of China's National Development and Reform Commission admitted that the Kyoto pact is ''not perfect'' as it covers only 27 percent of global emissions but called for keeping the treaty to show developed countries' commitment to taking the lead in global emissions-cut efforts.
''If even the Kyoto Protocol cannot be achieved, how can the people believe that better things, bigger things will be implemented?'' Zhou asked. ''So, I think the way is to improve the Kyoto Protocol but not to throw it out.''
