Posted on 07 September
2009
WWF welcomes today’s
announcement by incoming Japanese Prime
Minister Yukio Hatoyama to strengthen the
country’s emission reduction target, aiming
at 25% cuts from 11000 levels by 2020.
According to the global
conservation organization, one of the major
industrialized countries raising its ambitions
is an important signal at this crucial stage
of the international climate negotiations.
So far, targets set by the developed world
have failed to reach the ambitious levels
necessary to protect people and nature from
runaway climate change.
“The decision by an
important player such as Japan to do more
and get serious about low carbon future
can help break the deadlock between developed
and developing countries,” said Kim Carstensen,
the leader of the WWF Global Climate Initiative.
“The climate negotiations
are at a critical point and we need urgent
progress to get a fair, ambitious and binding
deal in Copenhagen this December”,
“Japan has now come
into the range of reductions by 25-40% as
recommended by the IPCC.”
Hatoyama, Japan’s Prime
Minister elect since a landslide victory
in the August elections, announced Japan’s
new midterm target at a Climate Symposium
in Tokyo, in front of Rajendra Pachauri,
the 2007 Nobel laureate and Chairman of
the IPCC, and Yvo de Boer, Executive Director
of the UNFCCC.
The incoming leader
further stated that he would confirm his
country’s stronger target in his speech
at the United Nations General Assembly in
New York on 22 September.
“Japan used to be the
country driven by industry groups, but now
we see a new Prime Minister with true leadership”,
said Takamasa Higuchi, CEO of WWF Japan.
“We welcome the courage
of Yukio Hatoyama and believe he has the
strength to set Japan on track for a low
carbon future which will benefit people
and nature, both in Japan and worldwide.”
Taro Aso, the outgoing
Prime Minister from the LDP, announced a
15% reduction target by 2020 compared to
2005 levels in June 2009, a mere 8% cut
compared to 11000 levels. At the time, WWF
sharply criticized this weak target.
Now WWF expects the
winning DPJ to realize its promises from
the election manifesto, including the 25%
cut from 11000 levels by 2020. Today’s announcement
indicates that the incoming Prime Minister
keeps his word.
