Japans defends U-turn on greenhouse gas emissions goal

“I want to assure you my country is still ambitious on climate change. My prime minister is committed to the climate change challenge,”

Yeah, as 'assuring' as the 'there are no problems at Fukushima'-like statements. We totally believe you when you slash your goals and then claim you are committed to them. Speaking of which, looks like Fukushima and nuclear power are harming the environment once again. Time to seek alternatives in a TRULY committed manner.

How about making idling illegal?

How many tons of CO2 could we save (not to mention the carbon-fueled national deficit)?

Tough decisions, please, not cop-outs.

A then private company created this problem, why is no one in jail?

Japan is not being inconsiderate. It clearly reasonable because of the misfortune that fallen to Japan. What do you prefer? a nuclear radioactive wasteland over CO2? Japan is being realistic on what promises it can keep and at least japan is being honest and still look forward to develop clean energy (solar power, wind, geothermal etc). Other industrialized nations that are not affected by disasters should instead sacrifice a bit by cutting down more? hows that? reasonable?

Same old line. Excuses.

Well smithinjapan, it is not like they could have said much else, could they? Like it or not, THIS is the price you pay for getting away from nuclear power.

Japan is not being inconsiderate. It clearly reasonable because of the misfortune that fallen to Japan. What do you prefer? a nuclear radioactive wasteland over CO2? Japan is being realistic on what promises it can keep and at least japan is being honest and still look forward to develop clean energy (solar power, wind, geothermal etc). Other industrialized nations that are not affected by disasters should instead sacrifice a bit by cutting down more? hows that? reasonable?

The comparison is a certain increase in CO2 v a very small chance of another nuclear accident that would result in a very limited increase in radioactivity over a relatively small area. Really, the world's population is tune to place too much weight to radioactive rather than other forms of damage.

It's an amazing feat if they can indeed reduce the CO2 emissions by the promised 3%. Who can't see this doesn't actually know how this world turns. Even Germany, with it's 20% of energy from recyclable resources is not yet there...

Well I think if Japan reduces their target they can claim polluting is traditional and of scientific benefit.....sounds like a whaling commercial....**

no one speaks of the big elephants in the room- India and China- especially China. instead the fingers point to Japan who as an island state itself, with low amounts of cars - had a disaster that forced the increase of fossil fuel use.

of course Japan could get back on track if the Nuclear Industry reboots - since solar and wind cannot provide the energy needed

but still- what about China? what good is the slight reduction of Japan's target when Mt Fuji is being polluted by mainland China?

Before criticizing Japan which has had to deal with the fallout of a nuclear disaster let's once more look at the dismal records of the biggest polluters: China, the U.S.A, India, Russia and next Brazil that keeps up the destruction of the Amazon forests.

it is true that because of the effect of the 2011 tsunami, japan have to recover and part of that might include nuclear energy back online. however, for the sake of victims around fukushima, i think japan should also consider taking the lead in clean energy R&D, so that fukushima residents are reassured of the government's effort not to repeat the same problem again.

Brainwashed people think CO2 is a prblem, it goes back to Al Gore and his menacing ways. Global warming has been a joke on all of the world so that governments and big corporations can take money from the private sector and put it into their pockets and the pockets of those who support them. Only one of the biggest hoaxes that people have been brainwashed by government schools. I say yeah japan for making a stand. If global warming was real why is there a global cooling. Wake up people and stop listening to the corporations who wish to control the price of everything and control you through fear of the earth being destroyed. Do you really believe that the earth can be destroyed? The earth has been around longer than you or I have and longer than written history. Excuse me this may be removed.

Ok so if Japan had never used nuclear power ever, where would they be today? TONNES more CO2 and never would have been as clean or a power house that it became. You'll never make everyone happy so are you saying they (Japan) never should have tried? Well in that case I guess we should all pull the plug to do our part. Didn't think so, so to the whiners out there, please keep your comments in your head for a while to see if they make any sense.

You think nuclear fall out is better than CO2 which plants use to create oxygen that you breathe? Nuclear fallout can not be cleaned up but green plants breathe the CO2 and make O2 from it. Brainwashed people. Believe that nuclear energy is clean while it creates more harm than good and CO2 which you exchale every breath that you brethe and green plants convert to oxygen so you can exhale co2 is bad. You must have gone to a guberment school. mispell intended. this post will be removed because I have intelligence.

How can you expect a country that is in denial of stage 4 cancer to have the clarity and courage to say they will tackle climate change. Lets be real. Abe is committed to deflection and engaging in populist politics to feed his corporate cronies. TEPCO is like IBM was to Nazi's in the German era. A mechanism beyond reproach. Necro economics 101.

praack: "no one speaks of the big elephants in the room- India and China- especially China. instead the fingers point to Japan who as an island state itself, with low amounts of cars - had a disaster that forced the increase of fossil fuel use."

Actually, China is CONSTANTLY singled out as being the lead causer of pollution, with the US a close second, but there are no elephants in the room on this thread, as it is about Japan. Also, Japan helped START this thing, and are now reneging, which will probably cause other nations to follow suit if they haven't backed out already (Canada, etc.).

Couple of things....firstly anyone who thinks Global Warming caused by a CO2 increase is an Al Gore phenomenon really needs to read a couple of books. I studied it at University 20 years ago and it's very real. There's a whole host of examples of damage caused by CO2 and just recently it's been proven that it's the leading cause of lung cancer.

Secondly...to say it's typical of Japan to say they always go back on their word to say you can't trust them...well this wouldn't be happening if you weren't demanding an end of nuclear power in Japan. The leading scientists have spoken about it in the last week...modern nuclear isnessential for the well being of this planet. Supplemented by renewable energy but nkt supplemented by coal and gas.

The situation in Fukushima is very localised. An increase in carbon dioxide is globslised. But you asked for it. In fact msny of you demanded it.

Kent McgrawNov. 16, 2013 - 10:15PM JST

Brainwashed people think CO2 is a prblem, it goes back to Al Gore and his menacing ways. Global warming has been a joke on all of the world so that governments and big corporations can take money from the private sector and put it into their pockets and the pockets of those who support them.

You must have gone to a guberment school. mispell intended. this post will be removed because I have intelligence.

Pathetic, Kent. There are many morons who still believe CO2 emission has nothing to do with current environment crisis. Your comments remind me our life long battles against powerful tobacco industry here in US. The tobacco industry had lied, lied over and over how tobacco smoking had nothing to do with a lung cancer cause. After killing innocents, they finally admitted that tobacco smoking is a possible cancer cause.

You are doing exactly that with no CONCIENCE in humanity. I bet you are breathing the dirtiest air and your lung is filled with black tars. There is a cause and a effect in life what you do and say. Good luck, Kent.

Brainwashed people think CO2 is a prblem, it goes back to Al Gore and his menacing ways. Global warming has been a joke on all of the world

Such are the ravings of the scientifically illiterate. Forget Al Gore - he's irrelevant to this.

Wake up people and stop listening to the corporations who wish to control the price of everything and control you

Actually, it is you and your ilk who are towing the line of various interests in the fossil fuel industry.

Do you really believe that the earth can be destroyed?

Of course it can, and will be - though that's still a few billion years in the future, so not to worry. Look, to anthropomorphize to make a point, the planet couldn't care less about climate change. It's seen far worse and will see far worse. Climate change is about us now and the next several generations. Do you want to hand down an environment with mass famine, mass dislocation, and mass conflict, or do you want to actually take some responsibility and work to clean up the mess before it goes totally off the rails?