The U.S. - Japan Cooperation on Environment

Japan and the United States have been making cooperative efforts in tackling environmental challenges such as climate change through the Conferences of Parties (COPs) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, G8 Action Programme on Forests, and WSSD type 2 Partnerships (e.g. Asia Forest Partnership, Congo Basin Forest Partnership).

As the chair of the Third Session of the COP 3, held in Kyoto in 1997, Japan has been seeking the early entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol by 2002 participating actively in related international negotiations making efforts to formulate an agreement for the prevention of global warming. To ensure the effectiveness of actions against global warming, it is vital that all countries strive for the reduction of greenhouse gases. The Government of Japan has done its utmost to establish a common rule, in which all countries including the United States and developing countries participate. The Government of Japan has actively continued Japan-US high-level consultations on climate change with the aim of working together toward the common objective of the global environment.

The G8 Action Programme on Forests was initiated in 1998 to address five issues of particular importance in addressing the continuing pressure on the world's forests and in achieving sustainable forest management (SFM): 1) monitoring and assessment; 2) national forest programmes; 3) protected areas; 4) private sector; and 5) illegal logging. The final report of the G8 Action Programme on Forests, completed by G8 experts, was welcomed by G8 Foreign Ministers in Whistler in 2002. The Plan of Implementation adopted at the WSSD states that immediate actions at all levels are necessary to achieve SFM. Responding to this call, several initiatives have been taken, including the Asia Forest Partnership, initiated by Japan and Indonesia, and the Congo Basin Forest Partnership, initiated by U.S. Japan and the United States have been promoting those partnerships in order to develop SFM at world-wide level.

Highlights:

• G8 Action Programme on Forests ( Backgrounders and Final Report )
• Third Meeting of the U.S.-Japan High Level Consultations on Climate Change Joint Statement, August 7, 2003
• Statement by Ms. Yoriko Kawaguchi, Minister for Foreign Affairs, on the Announcement of Climate Change Policy by the Government of the United States, February 15, 2002
• Japan-US Summit Meeting, Camp David, the United States of America, July 2, 2001
• Press Conference by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi: Issues Discussed at the Japan-US Summit, June 30, 2001