TOKYO - A Japanese government task force has decided on the basic principles of a plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions as required by a global climate treaty, paving the way for Tokyo's ratification of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.
"The government's policy is to aim for ratification during the current session of parliament (which ends in June)," an Environment Ministry official said yesterday. The 1997 United Nations treaty commits developed countries as a whole to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by five percent from 1990 levels between 2008-2012. Japan is required to achieve a six percent cut.
Greenhouse gases are blamed for global warming by trapping heat in the atmosphere, and the worst offender is carbon dioxide produced from fuel burned by industry. The basic principles call for the industrial sector to cut carbon dioxide emissions by seven percent and the commercial and household sectors to cut emissions by two percent from 1990 levels by 2010.
They also call for increases in transportation-related carbon dioxide emissions to be held under 17 percent.
"If left alone, emissions from the transportation sector are likely to rise much further...due to factors such as an increase in the number of vehicles," the ministry official said.
The principles also call for a reduction through steps such as technological innovation and citizens' efforts, for example by limiting the amount of water used in showers and reducing wasteful photocopying.
The framework will form the basis for Japan's plan to achieve the Kyoto treaty's targets. The plans will be included in a bill the government plans to introduce to parliament during its current session.
Japan has said it would do everything it can to ratify the climate treaty, which is named after the 1997 United Nations global warming conference held in the ancient capital of Kyoto, even without U.S. participation.
U.S. President George W. Bush irritated many U.S. allies by pulling out of the pact last year saying it would hurt the U.S. economy and last month unveiled independent policies to encourage industries to trim emissions.:
