politics

Japan sets carbon-neutral goal by 2050

7 Comments
By Kyoko Hasegawa and Sara Hussein

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© 2019 AFP

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.


7 Comments
Login to comment

How about outlawing sleeping in cars and trucks whilst running the engine?

How about subsidizing solar panel manufacturing as China does?

How about really taking account of the weather and wearing clothing suitable for the outside temperature?

How about planting more trees for shade?

How about placing solar panels on the millions of apartment buildings in the country?

How about......?

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Japan has joined Britain in pledging to become carbon neutral later this century, as the world races to prevent catastrophic climate change, but critics blasted Tokyo's plan as unambitious.

Can anyone find one piece of evidence that CO2 leads to "catastrophic climate change"? Just one! Where is the link?

I want to see the evidence before I part with yet more of my money for a CO2 tax, increased transportation costs, food costs (CO2 consumed in production and transportation) and on and on. I also want to see the evidence that CO2 is somehow harmful to the climate before being surveilled in my house (it's coming) via a smart meter which monitors smart appliances and electricity use in detail. If smart refrigerators monitor the type and quantity of food then people who consume meat, for example, will pay higher costs due to a bigger CO2 footprint.

All of these predictions of climate catastrophe are based on computer models (junk in, junk out.) CO2 is the gas of life. It's plant food and humans would be dead without it.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

The headline is extremely misleading on the very key point at issue t - the article says Japan is committed to carbon neutrality in the latter half of the century, so it is "by 2100", not "by 2050". That is a massive difference.

I tend to agree with the criticism, Japan's goals are pathetically weak here, in order to stave off the worst case scenarios we need to get there by 2050 at the latest and not, as the current plan seems to be, doing it as late as 50 years after we pass that point.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

"As the first country to legislate for long-term climate targets, we can be truly proud of our record in tackling climate change," Prime Minister Theresa May was quoted as saying in a statement.

I'd have thought Theresa May would be wary of bold declarations after "I will deliver Brexit", and "we will be leaving on March 29, 2019" but she's in there again. The cynic in me sees it as an attempt to save her historical reputation. Since she is out the door, whatever the UK does on climate change will be decided on and lead by other people. While May was leader herself, the UK dabbled in fracking.

As for Japan's declaration, without actual action, this is merely nice sounding words.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

In any case, this issue is secondary to "pollution" in total with Water and Air as the two most important areas of concern. We cannot survive without drinkable water and breathable air, the two natural resource being destroyed by most obviously today by "plastics" and the process of "plastic production".

The by product of extremely slow "decay" of plastic particles and materials in the water and air as with radio activity from nuclear waste have penetrated everything on earth from the environment to plants and animals where our health and existence is being affected.

In that sense "carbon-neutral" is OK and acceptable. Even if climate change does or does not occur as predicted, the "pollution" will catch-up with us much much sooner.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

What really matters is what China, India and Africa do in the next 20 years.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

JonathanJo. Right. And that’s why it’s hopeless because west will not interfere. The left would consider it racist or neo-colonial mindset. That’s the irony because they’re the ones screaming about climate change.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites