Hiroyuki Ishitobi

Environment Agency
(1-2-2, Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100, Japan)

Abstract

Global warming is one of the world's most important issues, which may cause seriously adverse effect on the future generations. Japan now stands 4th in the world in terms of CO2 emissons. Global warming can not be prevented without a serious reduction effort in Japan. Although Japan has taken a various kinds of measures against global warming, it seems very difficult for Japan to achieve its goal by the year 2000, that was set forth in the "National Action Program to Arrest Global Warming" . Therefore, we need to introduce stronger measures to deal with the problem. As part of the 3rd Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP3), which will be held in Kyoto this December, we are in the final stage of international negotiations to adopt the "Kyoto Protocol" that ends up providing quantified emission reduction targets for developed countries after 2000, as well as policies and measures to fulfil those targets. I will describe, in this article, the current situation of the international negotiation and other efforts towards COP3, and also analize some key points for the success of COP3 and development of effective measures.

Key words: global warming, the 3rd Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP3), the national action program to arrest global warming, the quantified emission reduction target, policies and measures