Elissa V.
Sushi, kimonos and Takeshi's Castle are just a few of the wonderful gifts Japan has bestowed on the world, but their latest and most influential contribution comes in the form of environmental protection. Japan has recently established itself as a world leader on the environment, and even Asian rival China has begun to adopt Japan's energy-frugal policies and habits.
Despite Japan's and China's tense relationship over the years, the two have been able to join forces for the greater good. The Sino-Japan Friendship Center for Environmental Protection in Beijing, an 11-story building partially funded by the Japanese government, monitors pollution and conducts research on burgeoning environmental technologies. It's one of the many positive developments that have sprung from the new alliance.
It's a perfect yin and yang situation, with each needing what the other has. China desperately requires Japanese technology to stay in the political race with other industrialized nations, and Japan requires the economic boost that would come from China purchasing these assets. The result? Environmentally aware Japan has taken pollution-happy China under its wing, and the rest of the world will also reap the benefits.
On July 7, the Group of Eight (G-8) - Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the U.K. and the U.S. - met on Hokkaido, the northern island of Japan, and agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent by 2050. While most agreed it was progress, many still felt more could be done to combat the global warming epidemic.
"We are beyond the rhetoric of climate change. We must now put numbers on the table. We must also give developing nations the clear conviction that industrialized nations are taking their responsibilities seriously," [NEP Executive Director-General Achim Steiner] said. - UN News Centre
By all accounts, Japan is up to the task. Engineers throughout Asia flock to Japan to study sustainable design - and Taiheiyo Cement's factory in particular. The building serves as an example of successful energy reduction in an age of excess and depleting resources. Because the factory utilizes its waste heat to generate the bulk of its own electricity, the company is able to substantially decrease the amount of power it purchases from the grid.
A number of countries including Germany, South Africa, Norway, Indonesia, and the U.K. are committing to reduction targets, but the Bush administration has refused to abide by mandatory limits. However, they have begun to develop sector-by-sector partnerships with various countries - including Japan - to explore methods of curbing emissions. This opportunity, wholeheartedly accepted by Japan, improves local businesses' chances of marketing their green technologies and developments worldwide.
By showing the world environmental initiatives are both profitable and beneficial, Japan is finally ready for its close-up.
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