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2015 December 9 - 15 TOP3 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Japan should play its role in ‘Paris Agreement’ to tackle climate change

Akahata editorial

COP21, the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), was held in Paris to discuss a global framework for tackling global warming which will be implemented from 2020. The meeting adopted the “Paris Agreement” in which over 190 attending nations unanimously confirmed that they will make efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Agreement aims to hold the increase in the global average temperature to “well below” 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. It also calls for pursuing efforts to keep the temperature rise “below” 1.5 degrees Celsius in response to an appeal from island nations struggling with rising sea levels. All countries will be required to review their target to cutting greenhouse gas emissions every five years. In order to make progress in this historic deal, Japan’s role is again called into question.

Ambitious 1.5-degree target

The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and formed shape with the adoption of the “Kyoto Protocol” by the COP3 meeting held in Kyoto in 1997. However, the Protocol imposed a non-binding obligation to set up a reduction target on only some nations. The United States, one of the signatory nations, withdrew from the protocol framework in 2001. Japan decided not to join the Kyoto Protocol second commitment period which started in 2013. Under these circumstances, the creation of another framework finally reached a consensus in the COP21 conference.

COP21 host nation France described the Paris Agreement as “unprecedented” in terms of achieving the participation of the whole world. The Paris accord calls on all 196 participating countries and regions to slash their GHG emissions. The accord provides a mechanism for its ratification and entry into force and is legally binding.

In addition to the existing international consensus to cap global warming at 2 degrees Celsius, the Paris Agreement reflected island nations’ demand for a 1.5-degree target. The Agreement also sets a long-term goal, aiming to keep anthropogenic GHG emissions within the bounds of sinks before 2100 by such means as enhancing forest carbon stocks. This, in effect, means “zero-emissions” and is a very epoch-making decision.

Before the opening of the COP21 climate conference, 185 countries submitted their reduction targets, but these targets together are not enough to hold the increase in the global average temperature to “below 2 degrees”. The Paris Agreement does not oblige each country to meet its own goal. It instead requires all Parties to check and upgrade their nationally-determined contributions every five years because their proactive efforts are the key to determining the future of the earth.

The 2015 Paris Climate Conference has come up with a historic agreement. This is because the international community seriously took the gravity of damages being brought about by rapid global warming. In addition to frequent extreme weather events and the destruction of the ecosystem, severe draughts and rising sea levels have been causing life-threatening environmental devastation in developing countries. The whole world has realized the urgent need to join hands in tackling climate change before it becomes too late. Japan should also be in tune with this sense of crisis.

Japan should fulfill international responsibility

The reason why the international community, up until now, could not reach any agreement to set up a new framework was that there had been a confrontation between developing nations and developed nations, the large emitters of greenhouse gases. Therefore, the Paris Agreement confirms a commitment to providing support to developing countries more than ever before.

Along with the United States and the EU, Japan emits a large amount of carbon dioxide. The government of Japan is planning to cut its GHG emissions by 18% in 2030 from the1990 level, which is totally insufficient. On top of that, Japan is now facing frowns of disapproval from the world regarding its dependence on coal-fired power generation. The international community will pay attention if this country actually fulfills its international responsibility to work to achieve the 2-degree target and provides appropriate support to developing countries.

Past related article:
> Japan’s new target for cutting GHG emissions is too low [ May 6, 2015]