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Japan industry opens door to carbon cap-and-trade
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Japan, the world's fifth-biggest greenhouse gas emitter, moved closer on Thursday to adopting a cap-and-trade system with mandatory emissions limits after a powerful business lobby softened its staunch opposition.
Acquiescence from the Japan Business Federation, which has argued that quotas would be unfairly distributed and hurt growth, could allow Tokyo to push through a trading scheme as it seeks to become a global leader in tackling climate change.
Currently, it relies on voluntary pledges to cut emissions, but Japan's resistance to forcing stricter standards on its firms is leaving it increasingly isolated internationally.
"It is important to discuss the matter, taking into account global trends, particularly in Europe and the United States," the Nikkei newspaper quoted Keidanren Chairman Fujio Mitarai, also the chairman of Canon Inc.
That comes the day after a government source said the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry was seriously studying a cap and trade system for the first time, although only as one of a range of options to tackle warming next decade.
Both comments mark giant steps for a country where a senior industry official recently dismissed carbon trading as best suited for "communist" systems, and the government's top spokesman questioned if it was anything more than a money-making scheme.
Europe falling behind in Kyoto carbon targets - World - theage.com.au
EUROPE is failing to keep its promise to cut carbon emissions, new figures reveal.
The European Commission disclosed that since the Kyoto treaty targets for cutting emissions were set in 1997, the EU has achieved a 2 per cent reduction.
This means that at its average rate of reduction it would be impossible to achieve its Kyoto obligations to reduce emissions by 8 per cent by 2012.
The European environment commissioner, Stavros Dimas, reminded EU leaders that they must act now before they can start to lecture the rest of the world.
"It is clear that many member states need to accelerate their efforts to limit emissions significantly if the EU is to meet its Kyoto target," he said.
The picture varies dramatically between member states. Britain has already exceeded its 2012 target to cut emissions by 12.5 per cent.
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EUROPE is failing to keep its promise to cut carbon emissions,
new figures reveal.The European Commission disclosed that since the Kyoto treaty
targets for cutting emissions were set in 1997, the EU has achieved
a 2 per cent reduction.This means that at its average rate of reduction it would be
impossible to achieve its Kyoto obligations to reduce emissions by
8 per cent by 2012.The European environment commissioner, Stavros Dimas, reminded
EU leaders that they must act now before they can start to lecture
the rest of the world."It is clear that many member states need to accelerate their
efforts to limit emissions significantly if the EU is to meet its
Kyoto target," he said.The picture varies dramatically between member states. Britain
has already exceeded its 2012 target to cut emissions by 12.5 per
cent.
BBC NEWS | Magazine | Do flat-screen TVs eat more energy?
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In terms of carbon emissions, the EST says old-style TVs produce 100kg of climate-warming CO2 per year - while larger, plasma screens (there are no small plasma TVs) will pump out 400kg.
Environment Unlimited | Climate change | You feel better, but is your carbon offset just hot air?
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Green consumers and businesses who want to neutralise their carbon emissions face being ripped off by unscrupulous operators who exploit the growing market in carbon offset schemes, a Guardian investigation has revealed.
Environment Unlimited | Climate change | Warning: bigger carbon cut needed to avoid disaster
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call for 90% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050 by government-funded Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, report commissioned by Friends of the Earth and the Cooperative Bank
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