1
Statement by Naoya Tsukamoto
Delegation of Japan
Session2: Theme 1 of the Conference
2nd Preparatory Committee UN Conference on Sustainable Development
7 March 2011
A Green Economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication
Thank you Mr. Co-Chair,
Japan would like to share its view that a “transition to a green economy” is an effective
and appropriate approach to achieve sustainable development. We believe that vital
elements towards the building of a green economy include , inter alia, the internalization
of environmental costs, green infrastructure development and technological innovation.
Rio+20 should provide the opportunity for the international community to express its
determination to make a transition to a green economy as well as to promote individual
countries’ concrete polic ies which aim to achieve a green economy.
As a major development in Japan towards a green economy, in December 2010, the
Government decided on a policy package to tackle climate change which includes three
major economic measures and the formulation of a comprehensive “Green Innovation
Strategy,” which we have been working on ever since. The key concept of the decision
is that technological innovation fosters “a win-win solution for issues related to
environment, energy and economic growth.”
The three major economic measures are;
(1) The introduction of a tax scheme for addressing global warming in October 2011;
(2) The submission of relevant bills for an unlimited feed-in-tariff for renewable energy
to the regular Diet session in 2011;
(3) Deliberate consideration of a domestic emission trading system.
With regards to innovation, the government of Japan decided on the “New Growth
Strategy” in June 2010, which emphasizes the need to stimulate the economy through
green innovation of the environment and the utilization energy technology. To this end,
Japan is to carry out various measures including 1) the promotion of renewable energy,
2) the facilitation of low-carbon financ e and investment, 3) the application of
2
information and communication technology, 4) the usage of nuclear power, 5) the
acceleration of R&D of innovative technology, 6) the promotion of modal shift, 7) the
dissemination of energy-saving electrical appliances, 8) the enabling of efficient
electricity demand, and 9) the recycling of domestic resources.
Another example is in the field of incentive measures. Japan is currently promoting
green products through the so-called “eco-point scheme,” which is a kind of subsidy to
consumers, as well as tax exemptions to enterprises to support environmental protection
beyond regulations, and green public procurement.
In order to realize a green economy, Japan regards that the development of appropriate
indicators is essential. We propose to develop four leading indicators that are to evaluate
1) the quality of life, 2) the GHG intensity, 3) resource intensity, and 4) biodiversity
conservation. On this matter, the OECD provides us with good examples of green
growth indicators. We expect that some synergy among the CSD and the OECD would
improve the quality of discussions.
Mr. Co-Chair,
The transition to a green economy is an emerging issue which needs to be tackled
globally. Accordingly, another important question is “What kind of green economy is
beneficial and feasible for developed, emerging and developing countries?” We should
also take into account the fact that natural resources are limited on the earth while at the
same time the global population continues to expand. We need more time to find
appropriate solutions but it is no doubt that in our pursuit of a transition to a green
economy we should facilitate the transfer of technologies, capacity building and an
appr opriate flow of necessary funds, in both the public and private sectors.
Finally, Mr. Chairman, Japan would like to congratulate UNEP for its report entitled,
“Towards a Green Economy,” which contains important insights and a deep
understanding of green economies in the context of sustainable development. Japan
believes that this report should be fully taken into account in further discussions under
the Rio+20 processes.
Thank you Mr. Co-Chair
