Mr. Chair,
I would like to join the previous speakers in congratulating you and the Secretariat on
the excellent preparations for this session.
I would like to emphasize at the outset the importance of making the three pillars of
economic growth, social improvement and environmental protection converge towards
the common goal of achieving sustainable development.
To that end, we need to develop a new model of sustainable consumption and
production patterns. Japan turned away from being a society of mass production and
consumption in 2001 by adopting the Basic Law for Establishing a Recycling-based
Society. Japan thus promotes ?3R?, which stands for reduce, reuse and recycle.
On chemical waste management, Japan experienced more than fifty years ago the
tragedy of mass mercury poisoning called Minamata disease caused by industrial
wastewater. Japan will actively contribute to the upcoming negotiations to prepare a
global legally binding instrument on mercury.
Furthermore, my Government collaborates closely with United Nations Center for
Regional Development (UNCRD) to promote ?Environmentally Sustainable Transport?
to cope with the negative impacts of rapid economic growth and urbanization in Asia.
These are just a few of the items on which my Delegation wishes to share its experience
and initiatives during this Review Session of CSD.
Mr. Chair,
I would like to take this opportunity to briefly touch upon my Government?s key
priority that puts the global sustainability at risk; climate change and biodiversity loss.
On climate change, we should move forward with the negotiations under the UNFCCC.
The Copenhagen Accord was an important step towards an international legally-binding
agreement on a fair and effective framework. Broadest possible support to the Accord
will help to enhance the negotiation process.
International Year of Biodiversity in 2010 affords us a good opportunity to strengthen
our efforts to reduce the current rate of biodiversity loss. In October, Japan will host the
COP10 of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Nagoya with the goal of
?ambitious, realistic and action-oriented post-2010 biodiversity targets.?
Mr. Chair,
To conclude my remark, I would like to remind the distinguished delegates of the interrelatedness
of various developmental issues at stake. Each of the thematic issues we put
focus on at CSD Sessions, should be considered with an insight into the broader picture
of sustainable development.
The human security concept Japan promotes, calls for protection and empowerment of
every individual so that people, including the future generations, can fully realize their
potential and live in dignity. By highlighting the human dimension of each issue, we
would better understand the intertwined nature of sustainable development.
In my Delegation?s view, such a human-centered approach is extremely important not
only for the success of CSD-18 but also in the run-up to the high-level meetings at the
General Assembly in September to discuss MDGs, biodiversity and sustainable
development of small island developing states.
Thank you very much.
