14 DAY TRIAL // Of all the things one can have second thoughts about, greenhouse gas emission reduction goals should be last on the list. However, it looks like Japan does not see things this way.
Yesterday, the country announced that, although it had previously committed to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 25% when compared to 1990 levels, it was from now on to focus on reducing them by merely 3.8% compared to 2005.
The deadline for these new greenhouse gas emissions reduction target is the year 2020.
Interestingly enough, the World Wildlife Fund points out that, because Japan's emissions have been steadily increasing over the past 23 years, the new target actually represents a 3.1% increase when 1990 emission levels are taken into consideration.
“Japan increased its emissions since 1990 and its GHG emissions in 2005 were about 7% higher than 1990 level. If the new target is converted into 1990-basis, it becomes +3.1%,” the organization details on its official website.
As if this wasn't bad enough, Japan's announcement that it had reconsidered its greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal came just as the 19th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is underway in Warsaw, Poland.
“This move by Japan could have a devastating impact on the tone of discussion here in Warsaw,” explains Naoyuki Yamagishi with the World Wildlife Fund.
Furthermore, “It could further accelerate the race to the bottom among other developed countries when the world needs decisive and immediate actions to 'raise' ambition, not to 'lower' ambition.”
According to Think Progress, Japan was left with no choice except go back on its promise to drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions due to the fact that, courtesy of the Fukushima disaster, the country can no longer rely on nuclear power as much as it wanted to.
Thus, Japan's plans to reduce emissions by 25% when compared to 1990 levels went hand in hand with plans to up the country's dependence on nuclear power. Specifically, the latter was expected to meet at least 40% of the country's energy demands by 2017 at the latest.
“We’re down to zero nuclear; anyone doing the math will find that target impossible now,” said Minister of the Environment Nobuteru Ishihara during a press conference in Tokyo.