Japan claim on CO2 cut by forest absorption partly rejected
Copyright 2000 Kyodo News Service,
Japan Economic Newswire
October 23, 2000
A Japanese government claim to attain up to 3.7% of the total 6% carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction target by forest absorption was partly rejected during preparatory negotiations for a U.N. conference on climate change slated for November, a document released on the Web site of a U.N. body showed Monday.
The document compiled by the chairman of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice, a body under the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), excluded Japan's demand to reduce its CO2 cut target by 0.3% by planting trees on land where forestry industries had cut down forests.
The paper will serve as a basic document on which discussions will be held during the sixth Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC scheduled for next month in The Hague.
The conference is expected to decide on the extent of forest absorption to be included in calculating CO2 emissions.
Even though the 1997 Kyoto Protocol on global warming allows developed countries to subtract CO2 amounts absorbed through afforestation and reforestation conducted since 1990, only Japan insisted on including the method of artificially planting trees on cleared forest land.
Other countries were apparently concerned that Japan's proposal could lead to destruction of natural forests as it allows for the creation of artificial forests after felling trees.
Japan, which is required by the protocol to reduce its emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases by an average of 6% from its 1990 levels between 2008 and 2010, aimed to achieve up to a 3.7% cut through forest absorption, but exclusion of its claim from the document means 0.3% of the target figure will not likely be realized.
For the remaining 3.4% cut, Japan plans to reach the target through additional activities such as forest management and tree planting in urban areas, according to Japanese government officials.
However, many countries have expressed their preference for limiting the scope of additional activities and it is certain that Japan will face difficulties in securing the CO2 reduction goal through forest absorption, the officials said.