Asia Pacific > UK’s Davey asks Japan to set 40% CO2 reduction target in Paris plan –paper

UK’s Davey asks Japan to set 40% CO2 reduction target in Paris plan –paper

Published 07:43 on March 31, 2015  /  Last updated at 11:20 on May 12, 2016  / Stian Reklev /  Asia Pacific, Climate Talks, EMEA, International, Japan

Ed Davey, the UK climate minister, has written Japanese cabinet members asking them to set a 40% reduction target for greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Asahi Shimbun newspaper.

Ed Davey, the UK climate minister, has written Japanese cabinet members asking them to set a 40% reduction target for greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Asahi Shimbun newspaper.

The letter, dated Mar. 24, was sent to the ministers of environment, foreign affairs end economy, trade and industry, the paper said.

Davey said Japan’s 2020 emissions target – a 3.1% increase on 1990 levels – was too low, and that the 2030 target should be much stronger, according to the paper.

Today marks an initial deadline agreed by UN members to submit their INDC ahead of the Paris talks in December.

But so far, only the EU, Norway, Mexico and Switzerland have submitted their 2030 climate plans, with the United States expected to follow later on Tuesday.

Japan is likely to present its plan in June or July. Davey’s letter urged Japan to finalise its plan by the G7 meeting in Germany in June.

The Japanese government has so far not commented on the CO2 reduction target range it is considering, but most observers say it is likely to be around 15-30% below 1990 levels by 2030.

A study released last week said Japan could achieve 40-60% cuts by 2030 if it introduced a range of new policies, such as a carbon pricing mechanism.

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