After criticizing the government’s climate bill, considered “unrealistic” and “irresponsible” for its 25% emission reduction target by 2020, the Japanese opposition parties presented to the Parliament their own bill for consideration. The bill includes a 15% reduction target by 2020 from 2005 levels, which implies an 8% reduction compared to 1990 levels. Differently from the government’s bill, whose targets are conditional on the agreement of an international regime with “ambitious” targets involving all major emitters, the opposition party bill is not subject to any further development in international negotiations.

Climate Policy News

• This news is extracted from the Climate Policy News : a CMCC weekly column that summarises the latest news on international climate change agreements, the updates on the carbon market and the energy and technology updates in the realm of climate change. Go to the web page and see all previous issues since March 2007.
• This week: New measures against VAT frauds; Research group says “20” is not enough; The road to Cancun; Japanese opposition presents climate bill; the carbon market this week – Download the March 15-21, 2010 Newsletter [pdf 43 kb]