On the afternoon of November 25, the DPJ Global Warming Countermeasures Headquarters invited David Fitton, Minister of the British Embassy in Japan to a meeting inside the Diet to give a presentation on the UK government's Climate Change Bill.

At the start of the meeting, Policy Research Committee Acting Chair Tetsuro Fukuyama (Strategy Headquarters Secretary-General) explained that the party was looking to resubmit a Global Warming Countermeasures Basic Bill and will hold future discussions on how to harness renewable energy and whether to introduce an environmental tax to counter global warming.

He also referred to the upcoming COP14 meeting in Poland in December and the Eco Products 2008 trade show being held in Tokyo to showcase the development of new technologies and products that contribute to reduced CO2 emissions, noting that the DPJ's policy is to take into account such trends and keep discussion going.

Mr. Fitton then gave a presentation on the UK's Climate Change Bill which was passed by the House of Commons and the House of Lords on November 19 and which was expected to be enacted into law on November 28.

He explained that the Climate Change Bill is, together with the Energy Bill and Planning Bill, one of three important bills designed to reduce CO2 emissions and guarantee the UK's energy security.

The Climate Change Bill, he said, includes measures to control CO2 emissions and promote the transition to a low carbon economy. It also states that the UK should show strong international leadership in the drive towards global CO2 emissions reductions.

Mr. Fitton also explained that the Bill includes the following commitments: (1) reduce CO2 emissions volumes by 26% from 1990 levels by 2020 and reduce all greenhouse gas emissions by 80% from 1990 levels by 2050 (2) establish limits for UK CO2 emissions over three 5-year periods (3) establish a Climate Change Committee to act as a specialist advisory organization independent of government.

After Mr. Fitton's presentation, there was a lively discussion over issues including the DPJ's policy of prioritizing fuels that do not affect food supply when leveraging biomass energy as a means to reduce CO2 emissions, the creation of jobs by establishing new industrial sectors that harness natural energy sources and the need for strong conviction and the understanding of the public and the corporate sector in establishing a national project to reduce CO2 emissions.