Ineffective government outline on global warming -- Akahata editorial, March 24 (gist)

A bill to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, obliging industrial countries to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide and other gases with greenhouse effects, will be submitted to the current Diet session.

The Kyoto Protocol is a specific measure on which the international community agreed to get such gases reduced, based on world scientists' warning about human survival.

Ratify protocol

The essential task is for the Japanese government to ratify the Kyoto Protocol and establish domestic measures to ensure its implementation in preparation for Earth Summit 2202 to be held in Johannesburg in August and September.

The Kyoto Protocol requires Japan to reduce warming gas emissions by up to 6 percent below the 1990 figure.

But the new outline set forth by the government to promote measures against global warming states that only 0.5 percent reduction will be carried out in real terms. It says that remaining 5.5 percent, will be done by using the Kyoto Protocol's forest absorption clause to discount the reduction targets and by using the trading of emission rights.

Achieving the 6 percent reduction target is Japan's minimum duty. It is extremely irresponsible for Japan, a country responsible for large emissions of greenhouse gases, to discount the target to 0.5 percent.

The outline poses another problem in that it calls for promotion of nuclear power generation as an important aspect of reducing greenhouse gases.

An opinion poll taken last November on further construction of nuclear power plants found that the government idea was supported by only 25 percent of the respondents, the lowest ever.

The prevention of global warming is an urgent task. National governments must act globally and work out appropriate measures to control the development and economic activities of business corporations and the due efforts by individuals in their lives as consumers.

Government must not follow business circles

While corporations have a serious duty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in their economic activity, it is necessary for the government to increase energy-saving efforts.

Unless the government ends its support for business circles objecting to an early ratification of the protocol and calling for a toothless arrangement, Japan will be unable to perform the duty of preventing global warming, the request of the international community. (end)