EDITORIAL: Law on climate change

Japan submitted a target for a 25-percent cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 from the 1990 level to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The government set the target on condition that all major countries take part in the establishment of a fair and effective international framework and agree on an ambitious goal.

Under the Copenhagen Accord reached at the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the UNFCCC in December, industrialized countries are requested to submit a midterm goal. While the targets are not immediately legally binding, they represent the determination of individual countries to fight global warming.

International society praised Japan's goal for "a 25-percent reduction" announced by Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama last year before the United Nations. Japan's determination to pursue that goal will help bring about a breakthrough in the tangled COP negotiations.

However, the impact of the figure itself may not hold for long.

Some countries are already saying that Japan's goal lacks substance. If such a mood spreads, it could undermine Japan's say in COP negotiations.

To lead in the formation of a new international framework to succeed the Kyoto Protocol, Japan must clarify its policies to back up its goal of a 25-percent cut as soon as possible.

Specifically, it needs to expedite the creation of a legal framework to mobilize necessary policies, including a domestic emissions trading system and expanded use of natural energy sources.

The Hatoyama administration plans to submit a bill for a basic law on anti-global warming measures to the Diet by March.

To realize the midterm goal, the government needs to not only incorporate individual policies into the basic law but also present the framework and process in concrete terms. It is also important that the proposed law envisions the long-term goal of cutting emissions by 80 percent by 2050.

For that, growth strategies to nurture green industries and create jobs must also be incorporated into the law.

Some say Japan needs to be more cautious about setting such a high goal and advancing bold measures when the future of COP negotiations remain uncertain.

But we need to think about what would happen to the global environment if we fail to establish a low-carbon society.

In Europe, countries are steadily implementing concrete measures aimed at building low-carbon social and economic systems under comprehensive measures established in 2008.

In the United States, a bill spelling out measures to fight global warming has been submitted to Congress.

Although deliberations have stalled under the difficult political situation surrounding the administration of Barack Obama, once the bill becomes law, various policies are expected to be promptly implemented.

The Japanese government is urged to aggressively advance policies to achieve its high goal and lead other nations in achieving low-carbon economies and societies. By doing so, Japan can enhance its competitiveness through a new age.

The basic law can serve as a locomotive to lead the new age.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Jan. 28