JAPAN PRIORITIZES ENVIRONMENT AND
CLIMATE CHANGE AT THE
G8 TOYAKO SUMMIT

- JAPAN TO INVITE TO THE OUTREACH SESSION -

    In 2008, Japan assumes the Presidency for the fifth time and will hold the Summit in Hokkaido Toyako in July. The Group of Eight (G8) Summit is an annual meeting attended by the leaders of the eight countries, namely, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, and the President of the European Commission. “Summit” in the strict sense means a leaders’ meeting, but it usually refers to a series of meetings which include those of foreign ministers and finance ministers that are held prior to the leaders’ meeting.

    The G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit will take up discussions on the future of the planet, and it is an ideal opportunity to open perspective towards a bright future. Climate change is top priority.

    Japan is also inviting India together with Australia, Brazil, China, Indonesia, Mexico, Korea and South Africa, to the outreach session of the G8 Summit focusing on the climate change.

    Global environmental issues have now gone beyond the discussion stage to become real problems with significant effects on our day-to-day lives and economic activities. This constitutes a major new challenge for humanity, as we could be courting catastrophe in both the natural environment and our socio-economic activities if we stand by and do nothing.

    Last year, Japan proposed the “Cool Earth 50” initiative, calling for a halving of global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.