By Suvendrini Kakuchi
TOKYO, Feb 15 2005 (IPS)

The Kyoto Protocol, which comes into effect on Wednesday, might be the only international treaty with a Japanese name; but many Japanese instead of being proud of that fact, feel that Japan has failed to take the lead in cutting greenhouse emissions blamed for global warming.

The Kyoto Protocol, which comes into effect on Wednesday, might be the only international treaty with a Japanese name. But many Japanese instead of being proud of that fact, feel that Japan has failed to take the lead in cutting greenhouse emissions blamed for global warming.

”There is a lot to be done for Japan to meet its emission reduction targets and stop global warming. The government must show stronger leadership for success rates,” said Masaaki Nakajima, a global warming campaigner at Greenpeace, Japan.

Japan is among the nearly 180 countries that signed the 1997 treaty, which has also been ratified by the Diet. The nation as a whole will have to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least six percent from its 1990 levels by 2012 at the very latest.

The ratification last November by Russia, which accounted for 17.4 percent of carbon dioxide emissions in the base year 1990, paved the way for its coming into effect. The pact requires ratification by 55 nations including industrialized countries accounting for at least 55 percent of emissions in 1990.

Since the Industrial Revolution, high concentrations of gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, have accumulated in the atmosphere as the result of burning fossil fuels. These gases have created a layer that traps solar radiation and warms the earth like a greenhouse.

As a result of the many consequences of global warming, international leaders have congregated for many years to work on an agreement to curb greenhouse gas emissions. After holding numerous conferences, scientists and politicians created the Kyoto Protocol in 1997.

Tokyo originally pledged to cut emissions by six percent from 1990 levels. Instead, emissions have risen by 8 percent since then, the environment ministry says.

According to the U.N. Framework on Climate Change, though, levels have risen by 12.1 percent, which Japan says is due to different calculations.

Activists, here, welcome the Kyoto Protocol coming into effect.

Yurika Ayukawa, climate change policy officer at the World Wildlife Fund, Japan, said Tokyo will now be held responsible to meet its targets or face penalties, after years of dithering.

”There is hope for progress in Japan. From tomorrow, officials will realise that finally there is no way out of the issue,” she told IPS.

If Japan fails to achieve the six percent reduction as set by the international treaty, it will be forced to cut levels by another 30 percent from the original reduction rate as a penalty.

An alarming trend in Japan is the growing increase in greenhouse gases emitted by the household sector – reaching 15 percent of the total emission count. The industrial sector is responsible for 40 percent of emissions – a figure that has not changed drastically over the years.

Japan’s economic turnaround is held responsible for the increase. More families purchased electrical household items and cars in 2003 and manufacturing companies are reluctant not to dampen the trend.

Japan’s trade ministry admitted that recent economic recovery after a decade of sluggish growth has led to a surge in demand and production, which has made it difficult for many heavy industries, especially steel and power, to comply with their own target reduction levels.

Greenpeace’s Nakajima points out that while businesses are eager to do their part to reduce carbon emissions, by using energy efficient technology, consumers had to share a large part of the blame for increasing greenhouse gas levels.

”The increase in consumer demand for products in each home has set off the benefits,” added Nakajima.

Many also blame low consumer awareness for the rise in greenhouse emission levels and the lack of government support in the promotion of alternative technology.

Yodobashi Camera, one of the Japan’s leading electronic discount shops, reports that its campaign to encourage more shoppers to buy energy-saving refrigerators, for instance, has not taken off the ground.

Despite offering extra points to people who purchase new-type energy efficient appliances that can be transferred to discounts on other items, Katsuyuko Terashima, a salesman, reports that Japanese consumers are just not interested.

”I’m baffled,” he told IPS. ”I guess these energy efficient items cost 20 percent more and the trend among younger, single consumers is to seek cheaper items.”

”But the cheaper items use much more energy,” he said.

Terashima acknowledges that government support for more energy efficient products – like giving tax breaks to consumers who purchase them – still has a long way to go.

Environmental campaigners are also peeved that the proposal to impose an environment tax of 2,400 yen (23 U.S. dollars) for each tonne of carbon emitted from fossil fuels such as crude oil or coal has not taken off.

”There is still a wait-and-see attitude within the government,” said Nakajima.

The tax would be imposed on companies, but the hope is that it would be passed on to households.

”Japanese people don’t really respond that well to urging. You have to hit them financially,” said Nakajima.

Excerpt:

By Suvendrini Kakuchi
TOKYO, Feb 15 2005 (IPS)

The Kyoto Protocol, which comes into effect on Wednesday, might be the only international treaty with a Japanese name. But many Japanese instead of being proud of that fact, feel that Japan has failed to take the lead in cutting greenhouse emissions blamed for global warming.

”There is a lot to be done for Japan to meet its emission reduction targets and stop global warming. The government must show stronger leadership for success rates,” said Masaaki Nakajima, a global warming campaigner at Greenpeace, Japan.

Japan is among the nearly 180 countries that signed the 1997 treaty, which has also been ratified by the Diet. The nation as a whole will have to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least six percent from its 1990 levels by 2012 at the very latest.

The ratification last November by Russia, which accounted for 17.4 percent of carbon dioxide emissions in the base year 1990, paved the way for its coming into effect. The pact requires ratification by 55 nations including industrialized countries accounting for at least 55 percent of emissions in 1990.

Since the Industrial Revolution, high concentrations of gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, have accumulated in the atmosphere as the result of burning fossil fuels. These gases have created a layer that traps solar radiation and warms the earth like a greenhouse.

The effects of global warming are still uncertain, but geologists predict that sea levels will increase, possibly flooding coastal regions. Rising temperatures may also disrupt many ecosystems, leading to an extensive decrease of biodiversity.

Tokyo originally pledged to cut emissions by six percent from 1990 levels. Instead, emissions have risen by 8 percent since then, the environment ministry says.

According to the U.N. Framework on Climate Change, though, levels have risen by 12.1 percent, which Japan says is due to different calculations.

Activists, here, welcome the Kyoto Protocol coming into effect.

Yurika Ayukawa, climate change policy officer at the World Wildlife Fund, Japan, said Tokyo will now be held responsible to meet its targets or face penalties, after years of dithering.

”There is hope for progress in Japan. From tomorrow, officials will realise that finally there is no way out of the issue,” she told IPS.

If Japan fails to achieve the six percent reduction as set by the international treaty, it will be forced to cut levels by another 30 percent from the original reduction rate as a penalty.

An alarming trend in Japan is the growing increase in greenhouse gases emitted by the household sector – reaching 15 percent of the total emission count. The industrial sector is responsible for 40 percent of emissions – a figure that has not changed drastically over the years.

Japan’s economic turnaround is held responsible for the increase. More families purchased electrical household items and cars in 2003 and manufacturing companies are reluctant not to dampen the trend.

Japan’s trade ministry admitted that recent economic recovery after a decade of sluggish growth has led to a surge in demand and production, which has made it difficult for many heavy industries, especially steel and power, to comply with their own target reduction levels.

Greenpeace’s Nakajima points out that while businesses are eager to do their part to reduce carbon emissions, by using energy efficient technology, consumers had to share a large part of the blame for increasing greenhouse gas levels.

”The increase in consumer demand for products in each home has set off the benefits,” added Nakajima.

Many also blame low consumer awareness for the rise in greenhouse emission levels and the lack of government support in the promotion of alternative technology.

Yodobashi Camera, one of the Japan’s leading electronic discount shops, reports that its campaign to encourage more shoppers to buy energy-saving refrigerators, for instance, has not taken off the ground.

Despite offering extra points to people who purchase new-type energy efficient appliances that can be transferred to discounts on other items, Katsuyuko Terashima, a salesman, reports that Japanese consumers are just not interested.

”I’m baffled,” he told IPS. ”I guess these energy efficient items cost 20 percent more and the trend among younger, single consumers is to seek cheaper items.”

”But the cheaper items use much more energy,” he said.

Terashima acknowledges that government support for more energy efficient products – like giving tax breaks to consumers who purchase them – still has a long way to go.

Environmental campaigners are also peeved that the proposal to impose an environment tax of 2,400 yen (23 U.S. dollars) for each tonne of carbon emitted from fossil fuels such as crude oil or coal has not taken off.

”There is still a wait-and-see attitude within the government,” said Nakajima.

The tax would be imposed on companies, but the hope is that it would be passed on to households.

”Japanese people don’t really respond that well to urging. You have to hit them financially,” said Nakajima.

Excerpt: