"GFJ Commentary" introduces news analyses andopinions in Japan on the relations of Japan with therest of the world, but they do not represent the views ofGFJ as an institution.

November 16, 2007

The Global Warming Issue Reaches Boiling Point
By SUZUKI Keisuke
The 13th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP13) to the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will be held in Bali inDecember. How can we tackle global warming on a worldwide scale? How can theeffects of reducing carbon dioxide emissions be maximized, and how much burden
should each country bear? There will be a flood of events to discuss these issues,including the G8 Hokkaido-Toyako Summit next July, following the COP13 in Bali. Itis probable that discussion on a framework for after 2013 when the Kyoto Protocol
timeframe ends will reach its zenith in the next year or two. There is no doubt thatmovement concerning the issue of global warming will be a major international politicaltheme in 2008.
In this regard, Japan is appealing to the international community byannouncing the new policy initiative of “Cool Earth 50” which was proposed by theprevious Abe administration. This initiative includes the plan that worldwide
greenhouse gas emissions ought to be cut by half by 2050. I believe the thrust of thisidea is correct, but would like to point out two things based on what I have seen atinternational and domestic arguments. This is because there is a major hidden risk to our
future national interest and our global goal of tackling global warming.
The first point is that the plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 is little
more than a long term goal. What I mean by this point is that, while the plan sounds
good at first blush, those countries that are not enthusiastic about environmental issues
would use the plan as an excuse to avoid action and then the proposal could end up
taking on a somewhat less-than-progressive image if medium and short term targets or
action plans are not introduced to achieve this long-term goal. Having a long-term goal
could sometimes become the same as doing nothing at all. The fact that the plan has
become a point of compromise without any particularly strong opposition suggests thatin effect it may become an excuse for the delay in taking measures for global warming
issue. Taking into consideration the recent image created among the international
community that Japan is unenthusiastic about the issue of global warming, urgent steps

are all the more necessary from the viewpoint of securing our international influence.
One other point of concern is the phrase “common but differentiatedresponsibilities” that Japan adopts as its stance in international conferences. The original
implication of this phrase should be that newly industrializing countries including China
and India and such countries as island nations in danger of sinking or African nations at
risk of drought and disease should be treated differently with regard to aid and the duty
to take measures. However, this phrase is being used by newly industrializing countries
at international conferences to insist on the difference in responsibilities between
developed countries and developing countries. This could lead to the same mistake that
occurred with the Kyoto Protocol, which ended up regulating nations that account for
only 40% of the world carbon dioxide emissions. In order not to repeat this mistake,Japan proposed the idea of “common but differentiated responsibilities” as a way ofseparating out newly industrializing countries from those countries which bear the bruntof damage from global warming as well as those attempting to address the issue, rather
than binding developing nations by one standard. Japan should reiterate the meaning of
this phrase to the international community.
Japan has leading technology that can alleviate global warming and is one of
the most energy efficient nations in the world – Japan is at the frontier of the field. We
are also fortunate in having the G8 Hokkaido-Toyako Summit as a stage. Given suchtechnological prowess on the issue of global warming and the fact that this is one of rare
chances for Japan to lead the world, we have a duty to guide the debate in the correct
direction. I hope that the Japanese government can implement strategic steps.
(This is the English translation of an article written by Mr. SUZUKI Keisuke, Member of theHouse of Representatives (Liberal Democratic Party), which originally appeared on the BBS"Giron-Hyakushutsu" of GFJ on October 23 and 24, 2007)