  Japan must support Kyoto Protocol -- Akahata editorial, October 4 (Excerpts)The Kyoto Protocol for the prevention of global warming, setting numerical targets to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse effect gas emissions, is expected to go into effect in early 2005. Reportedly, the average surface temperature is likely to rise 1.4 to 5.8 degrees Centigrade by the end of the 21st century. Irretrievable adverse effects of global warming on health and food, such as floods, heat waves, droughts, water-shortages, and rise in the sea level, are predicted. Global warming felt It is seven years since the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was adopted at an international conference in Kyoto in December 1997. It has been ratified by the European Union (EU), Japan, Canada, and recently by Russia, thus paving the way for the treaty to take effect before long. An annual rate for cutting greenhouse effect gas emissions has been set at 5.2 percent (1990 figures) for the period from 2008 to 2012. At that time, a U.N. group of world scientists reported that emissions need to be reduced by 50 to 70 percent in order to stabilize the density of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere at the present level. A 5 percent reduction a year is just a start. In this context, the United States has a serious responsibility to take action since it is the world's biggest carbon dioxide emitter. The belated effectuation of the Kyoto Protocol is mainly caused by U.S. secession from the pact. The following two conditions need to be satisfied for the Kyoto Protocol to take effect: (1) More than 55 countries must ratify the pact; and (2) A total of emissions by the ratifying developed countries must exceed 55 percent of the total emission of all the developed countries. The first condition has been met as pact has been ratified by 125 countries. Ratification by the world's biggest emitter, the United States, holds the key to satisfying the second condition. Urged by the U.S. oil industry, U.S. President George W. Bush in 2001 expressed an intent to secede from the pact, causing difficulty in effectuating the pact. Industry must assume social responsibility Next to the United States, China, and Russia, Japan ranks as the world's fourth highest emitter. However, the Japanese government is far behind in achieving the goal of the 6 percent cut put forward by the Kyoto Protocol. Efforts by individuals and families to achieve the reduction may not be useless, but success depends on the corporate and public sectors, which combined account for 80 percent of emissions. No major progress will be made if the government leaves the task to the "voluntary effort" of industrial circles. Following the example of EU countries, the Japanese government should introduce a system of consultation between the government and industries to force corporations to assume their social responsibility in reducing global warming. (end) |