Example Position Paper

UNDP                                                                                                       Japan                                                                                                                                                                       Habibah Begum                                                                                                           Mulberry School for Girls

The government of Japan understands that climate change has increased significantly over the last few years along with the advancement of technology. The Nobel Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in its Fourth Assessment Report predicts that sea levels near Japan could increase by 40cm, threatening the lives of millions. The report shows that Japan is prone to encounter m ore consistent and frequent heat waves, more intense rain and stronger typhoons, which could possibly have drastic impacts on public health, water, agriculture and wildlife. Policies regarding local climate change in Japan began in the middle of the 1990s. The national government’s Global Warming Law and the Kyoto Protocol Target Achievement Plan both expect that the 47 prefectures (43 prefectures, 2 urban prefectures, Osaka and Kyoto-, 1 ‘circuit’ or ‘territory’, Hokkaido-, and 1 ‘metropolis’, Tokyo) and 1,800 municipal governments will develop and enforce comprehensive, plan-based programs to tackle greenhouse gas emissions. This study scrutinizes national and local government climate change policies. Most local governments propagate information and educate citizens about climate change and energy efficiency.   The most advanced local governments, including Tokyo and Kyoto have used local laws to claim efficiency in energy, traffic, and other areas to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Addressing greenhouse gas emissions will require both national and local responses. During the Warsaw conference, Japan announced a revised goal for reducing...