Japan lawmakers declare climate emergency after government sets net zero emissions goal
19 November, 2020
Japanese lawmakers in Thursday (Nov 19) declared a climate emergency on a symbolic vote targeted at increasing pressure to use it to combat global warming following the government previous month committed to a company timetable for net zero emissions.
With the vote by parliament's powerful lower chamber, Japan - the world's fifth-biggest carbon emitter - joins fellow Group of Seven customers Britain, Canada and France in similar resolutions, as well as the EU as a bloc and practically 2,000 regional and city authorities around the world.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga previous month announced Japan would try to cut greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050, a major change for the world's third-largest economy which relies heavily on imported fossil fuels because of its energy sources.
The emergency, non-binding declaration - drafted by a cross-party band of legislators - cites "unprecedented destruction" from hurricanes, flooding and forest fires, exacerbated by climate change at home and overseas, and said the world faces a "climate crisis".
With erratic weather habits out of this year's record hurricane time in the Atlantic to floods in Europe being associated with climate change, governments around the world face even more calls to act even while the coronavirus pandemic rages, sapping resources.
Ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Yoshihisa Furukawa, head of the secretariat of a non-partisan band of MPs in back of the declaration, explained the resolution was essential showing the world Japan was not lagging in the fight global warming.
"I think this may send the communication to the environment that Japan's parliament and federal government are firmly resolved to deal with this aiming at a carbon-free world," he told Reuters, speaking prior to the vote.
The government is growing measures including investment funds and tax incentives to push through changes had a need to reach the net zero emissions target, and Furukawa said the declaration would give impetus to those efforts given its non-partisan backing.
Japan's new focus on for carbon neutrality could open up the way because of its beleaguered nuclear sector to turn up again, nearly a decade following the Fukushima disaster shut down most reactors, although the public remains wary.
Nuclear provided about 30 % of Japan's electricity before Fukushima, when the united states had 54 operable reactors weighed against just several operating now.
Announcing the brand new emissions focus on, Prime Minister Suga said Japan would "go after nuclear power" along with introducing as much renewable energy as practical, without specifying precise programs for reactors.
Even now, frustrated scientists and activists have got on a regular basis sounded warnings that action continues to be lagging to meet the Paris Agreement target of curbing emissions plenty of to hold temperature rises to within 1.5-2 degrees Celsius of pre-industrial levels.
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