Göran Wiklund
The latest round of UN negotiations on climate change concluded in Bonn, Germany last Friday. The pace of negotiations has been slow over the past two weeks, despite a deadline for agreement when the 182 nations meet in Copenhagen in December.Japan unveiled its plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions. They will god down to roughly 8% below 1990 levels by 2020. 
That is only 2% deeper than the cuts the nation is currently responsible for under the Kyoto protocol. Referring to Japan’s target, which is far below the 25%-40% cuts suggested by climate scientists for the year 2020. U.N. climate chief Yvo de Boer said he was speechless. ”For the first time in two and a half years in this job I don’t know what to say,” he told reporters. de Boer also said he doesn’t think negotiations will lead to 80% global reductions by 2050 as recommended by IPCC.
I think this is really bad news. If Japan as a developed nation is so unwilling to participate in a global attempt to curb emissions, it will be a perfect reason for a lot of other countries to do the same. For both China and the US it would serve as a benchmark.
