1. PM Kan Calls for “Opening Japan and Reinventing KIZUNA” in Davos

2. The Adoption of the Resolution on the Situation of Human Rights in the DPRK

3. The Second Meeting of the Japan-Arab Economic Forum

4. The Third Bali Democracy Forum

5. Climate Change

6. Japan's Assistance Package to Afganistan

7. Launch of the “Visa for Medical Stay”

5. Climate Change  Japan’s View on COP16

From November 29 to December 11 of 2010, the Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP16) was held in Cancun, Mexico. From Japan, H.E. Mr. Ryu Matsumoto, Minister of the Environment, and Vice-Ministers attended the meeting. At COP16, the “Cancun Agreements” were adopted as a final outcome of the meeting.

The Cancun Agreements decide to anchor the mitigation pledges of both developed and developing countries submitted according to the Copenhagen Accord under the UNFCCC and include core elements of major areas such as REDD+, finance and technology in a balanced manner. Japan expresses its appreciation to Mexico, the President of COP16, for its extensive efforts in producing the Cancun Agreements. Japan continues to engage in advancing the negotiations by building on the Cancun Agreements to establish a new comprehensive legally-binding document.

One of the main issues at COP16 was the treatment of the 2nd commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. As the first commitment period will end in 2012, a future structure of international framework beyond 2012 is under consideration in the UNFCCC negotiations. Japan takes the position to oppose the establishment of the 2nd commitment period. The best way to defend the real interest of the entire globe is to establish a new international legally-binding framework with the participation of all major economies, including the US and China which collectively occupy 40% of global energy-related CO2 emissions but are not committed to emission reduction targets under the Kyoto Protocol. Japan will continue to exert its utmost efforts to establish such a framework by developing the Cancun Agreements which seem to cover more than 80% of total emissions. (The total CO2 emissions from the Parties under the obligation of the Kyoto Protocol account for only 27%.)

Japan’s position is based neither on the narrow national interest nor on business calculation. Japan is committed to continue its ambitious emission reduction efforts beyond 2012. It is harmful to set the 2nd commitment period, as it will lead to solidifying the unfair and ineffective framework beyond 2012, under which only the Parties under the Kyoto Protocol are bound by reduction obligations. Once the 2nd commitment period was set, the momentum of establishing a new legally-binding framework and the momentum for that would be lost. Japan cannot make a short term “deal”, while not addressing seriously the problem of the next decade. Such a deal will by no means serve for enhancing Japan’s national interest or for tackling global warming.