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Japan to ask G8 for 80% cut in emissions by 2050

14 May 2008

Japan's prime minister Yasuo Fukuda is backing a goal of cutting his country¿s greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 80 per cent by 2050, according to the Nikkei.

The speculation comes ahead of Japan¿s hosting of the G8 summit at Lake Toya in Hokkaido in July and before this month¿s gathering of environment ministers from the G8 and nine other nations - Antigua, Australia, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, South Korea and South Africa - in Japan.

Japan is seen as supporting a cut in worldwide greenhouse gas emissions from 50 per cent upwards based on current levels by 2050.

Mr Fukuda¿s administration wants a so-called 'bottom-up approach' to solving the problem in which countries set sectoral emissions targets based on energy-efficiency goals for each industry.

Under Kyoto, Japan has pledged to cut emissions by six per cent.

By its own admission, it may struggle to meet that target before the accord expires in 2012.

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