After the change of government in Japan last weekend, climate change supporters are optimistic. They believe that the victorious Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), which came to power by ending nearly 50 years of uninterrupted rule by the conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), will take a new look at the whole issue of global warming and the consequences.
Japanese environmentalists were alarmed when last June outgoing Prime Minister Taro Aso announced that the country would seek to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases by eight percent from 1990 levels by 2020. This goal was far lower than the European Union's target of 20 percent.
The Climate Change Project Leader at the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), world's largest environmental conservation organization, Masako Konishi condemned past policies of the Liberal Democrats:
“The new administration and their climate change strategy is much more ambitious than the old one. LDP has pledged 8% cut by 2020 compared to 1990 level."
The Prime Minister elect and leader of the Democratic Party Leader (DPJ), Yukio Hatoyama, has announced plans to cut back emissions by at least 25 percent by 2020. This is a remarkable turnaround in government policy. And it is in line with public sentiment.
A nationally representative survey of 976 Japanese of voting age found that more than six in ten Japanese favour a reduction target of 25% or more. 62 percent believe that the previous government did not do enough.
Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol is due to expire in 2012 and with the Japanese pushing the idea of further reductions in the emissions of greenhouse gases, new issues are likely to be on the table at the Copenhagen climate talks in December, says Masako Konishi:
“When the Kyoto Protocol expires we expect a new framework will already be in place. There should not be an information gap between the Kyoto Protocol and the new framework. We expect a very ambitious reduction target from the developed countries including United States. As well as financial support from developed countries to developing countries and enable a mitigation process in the new framework to have a safe future for the next generation.”
Big developing countries are now joining the industrialized nations as the chief polluters. But they - like India and China - have consistently refused to make any compulsory pledge to cut emissions by 2020 or beyond, saying this could stifle their economic development and prevent them from overcoming poverty.
Policy shift in Japan
In Japan climate change strategy is now clearly becoming a more important issue as global warming accelerates, sea levels rise and weather patterns change. The new ruling party appears to be more in line with public opinion having announced new tighter greenhouse gas reduction targets. But Taka Hiraishi who is on the Board of Directors and a Senior Consultant at The Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) warns that the new government will still have to face up to difficulties tough emission targets pose for the economy:
“The major victory of the DPJ two weeks ago was not influenced very much by the difference on political positions on climate change between the LDP and DPJ. When climate actions start hitting economy – if Japan seeks to go to minus 25 % from 1990, it would require more stringent and substantial controls. DPJ government will need to address this, and it will have economic implications. But there will continue to be larger issues in the near term - such as in 2010 Upper House election.”
Against this background the new government will face tough choices when its honeymoon period in office is over. Will the Japanese still accept tough ceilings on greenhouse gas emissions if this hurts the economic recovery and the creation of new jobs? It is impossible to answer this question at the present time, but the clock is ticking.
Author: Nikki Rattan
Editor: Grahame Lucas
Deutsche Welle
Monday, October 19, 2009
Pakistan's Returnees Need Urgent Help
The number of refugees who have returned to their homes in northwest Pakistan after fleeing because of military offensives has reached 1.65 million. The anti-Taliban offensives in Pakistan this year have resulted in one of the largest internal displacements of people ever. A new offensive in Khyber district has caused up to 100,000 to flee. The United Nations is on the ground to provide assistance.
The recent anti-Taliban offensives in Swat and Bajaur Agency have left approximately 2,000 militants and 170 security personnel dead, according to the army. They have also forced hundreds of thousands of civilians to leave their homes. Although most have returned to Swat, which the army says is safe, many of the refugees have chosen to stay with their relatives. Others remain in refugee camps.
Those who have gone home have not been able to pick up their lives as they left them at all. Billi Bierling from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in Islamabad said that “many of the returnees found their houses damaged or destroyed, in particular in Bajaur Agency in the tribal areas. The micro-infrastructure -- internal roads, bridges and water channels -- was also damaged during the conflict. Many farmers lost a lot of their crops and livestock in Swat, Buner, Lower Dir and Bajaur.
“The National Agricultural Centre and the humanitarian community are distributing seeds, tools, lentils to farmers in the affected districts to help them get back on their feet again. Help is also needed in the areas of return to support the resumption of government administration. Governance, non-agricultural livelihoods, basic community infrastructure and the environment are specific sectors that need assistance.”
Children in urgent need of good education
Education is also an area that has suffered. Hundreds of primary and secondary schools were destroyed or partly damaged in the region.
As part of its “Welcome to School” initiative UNICEF is trying to provide temporary learning spaces and educational supplies so that some 500,000 children, who have gone back home, can continue their education.
It has prioritised the repair and rebuilding of over 3,000 schools in the region. Some schools have been converted into centres for displaced people so UNICEF is trying to provide alternative spaces.
It is also supporting education initiatives within the camps for internally-displaced people. Jasmine Pittenger from UNICEF Pakistan said that 8,000 children were getting support in the camps and school tents had been set up. 15 host community schools had received extra funding.
But she added that more funding was needed “to provide quality education for children, especially for girls, amongst the ‘returnee’ population affected by the conflict, as well as for children who are still displaced and living in camps or host families.” She said that almost 14 million euros were still required.
Malnutrition is a major concern
Some families have refused to go back to their homes if the government does not provide more funds, food and help. They are also scared, as Billy Bierling explains: “The security in North West Frontier Province (NWFP), especially in Swat District, is still very unstable. Even though the numbers of returnees look very positive, the returnees are still faced with problems, concerning security, damage of houses, crops, livestock and schools. There is certainly a huge need for humanitarian aid in the areas of return.”
Another major concern is malnutrition and more funding is needed. Jasmine Pittenger explained that “two malnutrition stabilisation centres have opened in District Headquarter hospitals in Mardan and Swabi Districts and two more are to be established in Swat and Buner Districts, as well as one in D.I. Khan District by the end of September. The UN's overall health response, which includes nutrition as an important component, is only 38 percent funded to date.”
Experts say that while a lot is being done for Pakistan's displaced persons, an urgent increase in funding is necessary to improve health, security and education in the affected areas.
Author: Nikki Rattan
Editor: Thomas Bärthlein
Deutsche Welle/Bonn
The recent anti-Taliban offensives in Swat and Bajaur Agency have left approximately 2,000 militants and 170 security personnel dead, according to the army. They have also forced hundreds of thousands of civilians to leave their homes. Although most have returned to Swat, which the army says is safe, many of the refugees have chosen to stay with their relatives. Others remain in refugee camps.
Those who have gone home have not been able to pick up their lives as they left them at all. Billi Bierling from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in Islamabad said that “many of the returnees found their houses damaged or destroyed, in particular in Bajaur Agency in the tribal areas. The micro-infrastructure -- internal roads, bridges and water channels -- was also damaged during the conflict. Many farmers lost a lot of their crops and livestock in Swat, Buner, Lower Dir and Bajaur.
“The National Agricultural Centre and the humanitarian community are distributing seeds, tools, lentils to farmers in the affected districts to help them get back on their feet again. Help is also needed in the areas of return to support the resumption of government administration. Governance, non-agricultural livelihoods, basic community infrastructure and the environment are specific sectors that need assistance.”
Children in urgent need of good education
Education is also an area that has suffered. Hundreds of primary and secondary schools were destroyed or partly damaged in the region.
As part of its “Welcome to School” initiative UNICEF is trying to provide temporary learning spaces and educational supplies so that some 500,000 children, who have gone back home, can continue their education.
It has prioritised the repair and rebuilding of over 3,000 schools in the region. Some schools have been converted into centres for displaced people so UNICEF is trying to provide alternative spaces.
It is also supporting education initiatives within the camps for internally-displaced people. Jasmine Pittenger from UNICEF Pakistan said that 8,000 children were getting support in the camps and school tents had been set up. 15 host community schools had received extra funding.
But she added that more funding was needed “to provide quality education for children, especially for girls, amongst the ‘returnee’ population affected by the conflict, as well as for children who are still displaced and living in camps or host families.” She said that almost 14 million euros were still required.
Malnutrition is a major concern
Some families have refused to go back to their homes if the government does not provide more funds, food and help. They are also scared, as Billy Bierling explains: “The security in North West Frontier Province (NWFP), especially in Swat District, is still very unstable. Even though the numbers of returnees look very positive, the returnees are still faced with problems, concerning security, damage of houses, crops, livestock and schools. There is certainly a huge need for humanitarian aid in the areas of return.”
Another major concern is malnutrition and more funding is needed. Jasmine Pittenger explained that “two malnutrition stabilisation centres have opened in District Headquarter hospitals in Mardan and Swabi Districts and two more are to be established in Swat and Buner Districts, as well as one in D.I. Khan District by the end of September. The UN's overall health response, which includes nutrition as an important component, is only 38 percent funded to date.”
Experts say that while a lot is being done for Pakistan's displaced persons, an urgent increase in funding is necessary to improve health, security and education in the affected areas.
Author: Nikki Rattan
Editor: Thomas Bärthlein
Deutsche Welle/Bonn
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)