Japan Proposes Long-Term Global Warming Target

The Sub-Committee for International Climate Change Strategy, which operates under the aegis of the Global Environment Committee of the Central Environment Council of Japan, has suggested long-term targets to keep the world temperature increase below 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels around 1850.

The idea was expressed in the second interim report of the sub-committee, published on May 20, 2005, regarding long-term targets related to climate change measures. The suggestions follow an analysis of existing scientific knowledge aimed at giving concrete shape to the ultimate objective of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: to wit, "stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that does not adversely affect natural ecosystems and humankind."

According to trial calculations using the Asian-Pacific Integrated Model (AIM), in order to limit the temperature increase to 2 degrees Celsius, the concentration of greenhouse gases will need to be stabilized at 475ppm by 2030 and after. The calculations also indicate that, as compared to 1990 levels, all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide will have to be reduced about 10 percent by 2020, about 50 percent by 2050, and about 75 percent by 2100.

The report states that the establishment of long-term targets should not be determined on the basis of scientific data alone, but that this must ultimately be left to the judgment of the international community. The sub-committee proposes that Japan, which largely depends on overseas suppliers for its food and resources, should move forward with a broad-based debate about long-term targets while keeping trade and other indirect impacts in mind, and play a leadership role in consensus building in the international community.

http://www.env.go.jp/en/

Posted: 2005/11/04 08:43:20 AM
Japanese version