4. Environment
1. Promoting the Democratic Party of Japan窶冱 窶彜trategy for Stopping Global Warming窶?/strong>
To counter global warming, domestic and international emissions of greenhouse gases must be reduced.
In addition to the medium- to long-term global goal of reducing emissions by 50 percent by 2050, Japan must certainly meet its Kyoto Protocol commitment of reducing its emissions by 6 percent. But Japan must also adopt the following medium- to long-term goals. In the medium term, Japan should reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases by 20 percent compared to 1990. For the long term, Japan should reduce its emissions by 50 percent before 2050. In this reduction process, priority will be given to emissions from human activities. The Democratic Party of Japan has formulated its 窶彜trategy for Stopping Global Warming: End Warming for Coexistence of People and the Earth,窶 and will do its best to realize the following objectives of this program: (1) establishment of medium- and long-term goals; (2) achievement of Japan窶冱 Kyoto Protocol commitments through the establishment of a domestic emission rights trading market based on the cap and trade approach; (3) vigorous promotion of the introduction of renewable energy; (4) adoption of global warming taxes; (5) vigorous implementation of energy saving; (6) promotion of forests and other emissions absorbing resources; (7) development of environmental technologies and promotion of the spread of technologies and products that reduce environmental burden; (8) promotion of environmental diplomacy; (9) further promotion of the abandonment of the use of Freon; (10) promotion of making carbon dioxide 窶忻isible窶? and, (11) prevention of urban heating.
The 2008 G-8 Summit Meeting will be held in Japan. In light of this fact, Japan must play a leadership role in an initiative to create a post-Kyoto Protocol international framework for emissions reduction that would include the United States, China, India and the developing countries. Mindful of the importance of improving energy efficiency, this initiative would promote the transfer of technologies for improving energy efficiency, and would bolster Japan窶冱 environmental diplomacy through such measures as the concentration of ODA in environmental fields. At the same time, Japan窶冱 environmental diplomacy will also be strengthened from the perspective of ensuring Japan窶冱 environmental security and coping more effectively with cross-border environmental damage, such as acid rain and yellow sand.
2. Establishment of 窶廝asic Law for Relief of Victims of Environmental Diseases窶?/strong>
Many victims of environmental diseases are excluded from government relief programs because the certification criteria are determined by the government and depend excessively on scientific judgments. Lawsuits for certification take many years to complete and victims are not able to gain speedy compensation and relief.
The Democratic Party of Japan has submitted the 窶廝asic Law for Relief of Victims of Environmental Diseases窶 with the purpose of speeding up the recovery and amelioration process of health-related damages suffered by victims of environmental degradation. The bill contains the following provisions: (1) formulation of basic policies and measures concerning the relief of victims of environmental diseases; (2) mandating the national government and its agencies to undertake investigations and research to determine the cause of environmental diseases; (3) easing of certification criteria; (4) establishment of 窶廚ommission for Formulation of Certification Criteria for Environmental Diseases窶 as a certification body functioning independently of the government; (5) development of support systems for legal action (mandating the government to provide consulting services and referrals to medical experts, scientists, and international views and opinions); and, (6) development of relief payment systems (covering medical, recuperation and travel expenses). Enactment of this legislation will allow the great majority of people who in the past have been denied relief in various environmental health cases to receive speedy relief. In particular, representative environmental health cases, such as the Minamata disease, asbestos-related cases, and the Tokyo air pollution case, will be subjected to exhaustive research and examination for the development of comprehensive solutions.ﾂ?
3. Preservation of biodiversity
Recent years have seen the accumulation of complex problems involving the preservation of biodiversity, including the increase in the number of endangered species, the protection and control of wildlife affecting agricultural crops and countermeasures against non-indigenous flora and fauna. The Democratic Party of Japan advocates the concept of 窶彡oexistence of people and wild life.窶 We will fully realise the principles of the Basic Environment Law and draw up a new 窶廝asic Las for Protection of Wild Flora and Fauna窶 (tentative name), which will include the following goals: (1) formulation of basic plan (five year plan) for the protection of wild flora and fauna; (2) development of systems for the preservation of biodiversity (wild flora and fauna); (3) mandatory environmental impact assessment; (4) improvement of education on biodiversity; (5) public education and public information initiatives; (6) collaboration among government ministries and agencies; (7) legal and fiscal measures; and, (8) participation of the people.
Contributions to a fund for international protection of natural environments conducive to the development of diverse ecosystems will be promoted, and active support will be given to international projects for investigation and research on biodiversity through cooperation with NGOs.ﾂ?
4. Acquisition of secure energy supplies
The government must be responsible for establishing 窶彳nergy security窶 by ensuring access to stable energy supplies. An agency will be created to develop long-term national strategies and to implement related measures in an integrated manner.
Harmonization with the global environment and the development of environmental technologies will be promoted. Comprehensive programs for the achievement of best-mix policies in energy use will be established based on energy-saving technologies and the diversification of energy sources. To complement natural gas, oil, coal and nuclear power, the development and use of such renewable energy sources as wind power, solar power, biomass and marine energy will be promoted. In addition, various future generation energy sources will be developed centred on hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. Particular importance will be placed on renewable energies, such as wind power, solar power and biomass. In light of the numerical goals adopted by the EU, the share of these renewable energy sources in total primary energy supply will be dramatically increased with an aim of reaching the 10 percent level by 2020. Today, Japan窶冱 energy self-sufficiency amounts to only 16 percent, even including nuclear power. This is the lowest among all developed countries. A goal will be adopted to increase Japan窶冱 energy self-sufficiency to 30 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2100.ﾂ?
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