Statement by Mr. Nobutaka Machimura, Minister for Foreign Affairs, on the Entry into Force of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
February 16, 2005
Japanese
Mr. Nobutaka Machimura, Minister for Foreign Affairs, issued today the following statement on the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
- The Government of Japan welcomes the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol, which was adopted at the third Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP3) which was held in Kyoto in 1997 under the initiative of Japan. This is a significant and historic step forward in the international efforts to prevent global warming.
- Japan regards cooperation to tackle environmental issues as one of the main pillars of its foreign policy. Although it is not easy for Japan to meet its emission reduction target set out in the Kyoto Protocol, now that the Protocol has entered into force, Japan will continue its utmost efforts both on governmental and non-governmental levels to securely fulfill its reduction commitment.
- In order to ensure the effectiveness of actions against global warming in the middle and long term, it is also essential to invite the major emitter countries which have not yet ratified the Kyoto Protocol and developing countries which are exempt from the Protocol's reduction commitment to take further actions to prevent global warming. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs have been making efforts to facilitate the formulation of a set of common rules in which all countries participate by, for example, convening three Informal Meetings in Tokyo with the consideration of post-Kyoto Protocol process in mind. Japan will continue to cooperate with all countries and strengthen its efforts to prevent global warming, which is a truly global challenge of our time.
The Kyoto Protocol entered into force on the ninetieth day after the Russian Government deposited the instrument of ratification to the United Nations Secretary General on 18 November 2004, by which the total emission of CO2 from Annex I Parties (developed countries) ratifying the Protocol exceeded 55 % of the total CO2 emission from the Annex I Parties for the base year of 1990. (Note 2) Reduction commitment under the Protocol
Under the Kyoto Protocol, Japan is obliged to reduce 6% of its greenhouse gas emissions from the level of 1990, in the first commitment period (2008-2012). (-7% for the United States (yet to ratify), -8% for the European Union.) The total emission of greenhouse gases of Japan as of FY2002 exceeded the level of 1990 by 7.6%. (Note 3) Informal Meeting on Further Actions against Climate Change
The objective of the Informal meeting on Further Actions against Climate Change, which have been held three times since 2002, is to provide an opportunity for participants to have a frank exchange of views on various possibilities to further strengthen actions against climate change. The meeting was convened with the participation of high-level government officials of major developed and developing countries that accounted for about 80% of the amount of global greenhouse gas emissions.
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