 |
 |
 |
This chapter outlines the whole aspects of the global warming issue and discusses the status quo and background of carbon dioxide emissions and measures for their reduction in the transportation sector that accounts for some 20% of Japan's total carbon dioxide emissions (Figure 1).
Global warming due to the increase in atmospheric concentrations
of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases began to be recognized worldwide
as a critical matter in the early 1980s. As the increasing concentrations in
these gases were observed and the need to addressing this matter were recognized,
the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme
jointly established the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCO) in
1988 to assess scientific aspects and impacts of global warming and consider
measures to prevent global warming (Figures
2 and Figures3).
Based on the IPCC's achievements, signature for the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change was initiated at the United Nations Conference
on Environment and Development ("Earth Summit") in 1992. Although the convention
was an epoch-making treaty calling on developed nations to control emissions
of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, there remained some problems with
it, such as lacking any binding force and specific targets for controlling emissions
after the year 2000.
To cope with these problems, the Kyoto Protocol to the Convention was adopted
at the third session of the Conference of Parties to the Convention (COP3),
held in Kyoto in December 1997. The protocol provides developed nations to reduce
aggregated average annual emissions of greenhouse gases from 2008 to 2012 by
5% from 1990 levels, setting differentiated emission reduction targets for these
countries. Japan, which is the fourth largest emitter of such gases, is required
to reduce these emissions by 6%. The protocol also provides that guidelines
should be established for flexible mechanisms such as emission trading and that
the protocol should be revised to set up systems for enforcing the obligations
for each country (Table 4, Figures
5 and Figures 6).
|
|
|