Chapter 5. Promoting International Activities
Basic Direction
Global conservation is a problem common to all of humanity and it
cannot be resolved by one country acting alone. Japan must contribute
to this international effort in a manner suitable to its position in the
international community.
Accordingly, the government must ensure internationally cooperative
measures. It must promote cooperation toward conserving the
environments of developing regions and internationally valuable ones.
To promote international cooperation, the Government must prepare the
domestic basis. It must guarantee international cooperation in research,
observation and monitoring and it must encourage activities by local
governments and private organizations. Furthermore, even when enacting
measures for international cooperation, the government must remember to
show deference to the environment.
Section 1. Promoting International Cooperation for Global Conservation
1. Securing International Coordination of Policy
To conserve the global environment, it is essential to coordinate
international measures in addition to implementing them domestically.
A. The government shall abide by environmental treaties and other
bilateral and international agreements. It shall, likewise, play an
active role in creating new policy frameworks.
B. To implement the UNCED resolutions, the government shall support the
environmental activities of the United Nations. It shall actively
participate in discussions on matters of global importance for example,
developmental assistance and the environment, innovative technology
development, monetary mechanisms, global change research, trade and the
environment and evaluating economic measures.
C. International organizations play an important role in providing
financial support to promote world conservation. As such, these
organizations should confirm that development projects are giving
sufficient consideration to the environment. They should also verify
that global environmental conservation projects are provided with
adequate funding. The government shall promote active participation in
ensuring that the Global Environment Facility ("GEF"), which is a major
fund established to tackle global problems is managed effectively and
efficiently.
D. Japan shall work with other countries and international organizations
to save the global environment. In particular, Japan shall play a
leading role in promoting cohesive measures and their implementation in
the Asian-Pacific since Japan has both historical and geographical ties
to the region. This region is expected to experience phenomenal growth.
Consequently, this implies that the area will inflict tremendous
burdens on the environment. Japan shall strive to control these burdens
by promoting conservation measures.
2. Conserving the Environment in Developing Regions
Conservation in developing countries is an international problem. Both
developed and developing nations must get involved. It is necessary for
developed countries to promote international assistance to developing
countries in the areas of population, resources, development and
environmental problems. Japan shall help developing countries help
themselves in securing a safe balance between the environment and
development. Likewise, Japan shall promote international cooperation in
environmental conservation.
2.1. Policy Discussion
The international community uniformly believes that sustainable growth
must be achieved and that developed countries must join the effort to
conserve the environment. To ensure coordination in these endeavors,
close policy discussions shall be promoted.
2.2. Effective Assistance
The government shall coordinate and regulate foreign assistance in a
manner thought best suited to achieve designated results. Types shall
range from loans and grants, to technical assistance. Likewise,
official development assistance ("ODA") for environmental efforts shall
be expanded in accordance with UNCED declarations and the Outline of
Basic Principles and Ideas of Official Development Assistance. The
government shall offer ODA in a flexible manner to encourage developing
countries to establish a safe balance between the economy and
environment. It shall strive to coordinate its efforts with those of
other developed countries, the United Nations, international financial
organizations, local governments and private organizations.
REFERENCE 15
Japanese statement at the UNCED on official development assistance, June
1992:
Japan shall seek to expand bilateral and multilateral official
development assistance from 900 billion to 1 trillion yen by for 5
fiscal years from 1992.
2.3. Technology Transfer
Japan developed many new technologies and know-how in the process of
overcoming the severe pollution problems of the past. Japan must make
the most of these experiences by using them to help developing countries
facing similar problems to clean and conserve their environments.
Experts shall be dispatched, foreign researchers shall be received and
joint research shall be promoted to pass on the fruits of these
experiences. The government shall strive to improve transfers of
environmental technology and know-how. This transfer assistance shall
be tailored to the particular country's stage of development in a manner
that will allow them to utilize their own technologies and know-how.
The technology of the public and private sectors shall be fully utilized
as well. Furthermore, the government shall support voluntary
technological cooperation between Japanese civic organizations and those
of developing countries.
2.4. Research in Developing Regions
Research, policy studies and ODA effectiveness evaluations shall be
promoted in developing countries. Environmentally oriented ODA shall be
distributed to regions and countries in a manner suitable to the results
of these studies.
2.5. Selecting and Evaluating Projects
Extensive investigations and full cooperation are needed to ensure that
proper projects are selected. Likewise, project evaluations shall be
promoted to ensure that they are contributing to the cooperative efforts.
3. Conserving Internationally Valuable Environments
Certain environments are extremely valuable internationally and are
considered the common birth-right or heritage to all of humanity. For
example, to conserve Antarctica, the Protocol on Conserving the
Antarctic Environment Treaty shall be observed. International
cooperation shall be promoted to assess environmental impact, conserve
plants and wildlife, manage waste disposal, prevent ocean pollution and
administer conserved areas. Moreover, through contributions to the
World Heritage Fund, the government shall actively cooperate to conserve
natural heritage areas designated in the Convention for the Protection
of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.
4. Strengthening the Domestic Foundations to Promote Cooperation
The government shall lay a domestic groundwork that will ensure the
most effective application of its technology, know-how and experience to
promote international cooperation.
4.1. Human Resources
Human resources are necessary to cooperate internationally. The
government shall continue to promote the employment of people currently
working in fields related to international cooperation. It shall
establish systems for training and a registry system for specialists in
international affairs. Likewise, efforts shall be made to employ
international specialists on their return from duty abroad.
4.2. Facilities
Information on global conservation, technology and environmental
experiences shall be collected domestically and sorted. Facilities
shall be established to allow easy technological transfer and storage
which will contribute in conserving the global environment.
Section 2 International Cooperation in Research, Observation and
Monitoring
International networks, joint international research and research
exchanges shall be promoted to encourage cooperation in research,
observation and monitoring for global environmental conservation.
Section 3. Encouraging Activities of Local Governments and Private
Sector
International cooperation in environmental conservation shall be
improved by encouraging activities. by local governments and private
organizations Local governments have much to offer similarly situated
foreign cities in the form of environmental conservation information.
Likewise, private organization cooperation can be very effective on the
grassroots level. The government shall encourage the voluntary efforts
of local governments to form sister-city relationships and self-
governing international cooperation organizations. Also, information
shall be provided to private organizations to encourage their active
participation in international cooperation.
Section 4. Environmental Considerations in International Cooperation
It is necessary for Japan to give the environment appropriate
consideration in international cooperation. It is important for the
business community with overseas operations to do the same. The
government shall promote continued voluntary civil actions to ensure
that these considerations are made.
The government shall continue to employ environmental guidelines when
cooperating in international projects on the national level. It shall
begin human resource training as a means of ensuring the environment is
given due consideration. And, while cooperating with international
organizations, appropriate concern shall be shown to the environment.
Furthermore, the government shall strive to ensure that the same concern
is shown in international assistance from other public sources and
overseas activities of private enterprises.
Section 5. Efforts Based on International Agreements
1. Preventing Global Warming
The Government shall implement the United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change, including national communications on measures and
procedures to arrest global warming and their predicted effects. To
further promote measures with international cooperation, we will also
explore specific measures for the evaluation of the adequacy of the
commitment of the Convention in relation to its ultimate objectives, the
ways to coordinate international efforts for reducing world total
emissions of greenhouse gases and enhancing their absorption, including
joint implementation of policies. The Government shall simultaneously
support the scientific activities of the IPCC and other organizations.
Furthermore, measures shall be implemented for international cooperation
to alter current consumption patterns, to develop technologies to
alleviate climate change, to assist developing countries to formulate
national plans, and to assist technology transfer
2. Protecting the Ozone Layer
The Government shall steadily implement Vienna Convention for the
Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol on Substances
That Deplete the Ozone Layer. We shall also support the measures
implemented by developing countries. Moreover, Japan shall contribute to
the implementation of the international measures through enrichment of
scientific knowledge by observation, monitoring, etc.
3. Preventing Acid Rain
Both regional and international efforts are essential to combat acid
rain. Observation and monitoring networks shall be established. As in
North America and Europe, Japan will take the lead in promoting a
framework for combating transboundary pollution problems in East Asia.
We will also promote measures including technology transfer to control
the emission of substances which cause acid rain.
4. Preventing Marine Pollution
The government shall progressively implement the Convention on the
Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter (
London Convention) and the Protocol of 1978 Relating to the
International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (
MARPOL '73/'78) to combat marine pollution. It shall take the
initiative in new frameworks, such as, the United Nations Convention on
the Law of the Sea and shall cooperate with other international
organizations and related countries. Furthermore, it shall promote the
regional efforts of the Action Plan for the Prevention, Management and
Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the Northwest
Pacific Region.
5. Regulating Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Waste
The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of
Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal shall be implemented. Systems to
prevent illegal transboundary movements of such waste shall be promoted
as shall the transfer of toxic waste management technologies.
6. Conserving Forests
With regard to achieving the conservation and sustainable management of
all types of forests, Japan shall base its efforts on the Statement of
Forest Principles and Agenda 21, participating in the development of
criteria and indicators for the sustainable forest management and other
international efforts. Also, taking into account the developments in
such organizations as the United Nations Committee for Sustainable
Development, the International Tropical Timber Organization ("ITTO") and
the General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade ("GATT"), Japan shall make
efforts to enhance appropriate timber trade. We shall take a positive
stance on the possible formulation of a forest convention, taking into
account the need for forming international consensus. We shall also
promote international research activities on forest conservation.
7. Conserving Biodiversity
Biological diversity and wildlife conservation shall be achieved and
maintained according to the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Biological diversity research and the cooperative establishment of a
conservation system shall be promoted. Further cooperation shall be
elicited through international bilateral treaties and agreements, for
example, aimed at bird conservation like the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Washington
Convention) and the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance
Especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar Convention).
8. Preventing Desertification
Regarding desertification, Japan shall contribute to the United Nations
Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing
Serious Drought and/or Desertification, particularly in Africa, which is
expected to be ratifies in the near future. It shall initiate research
and investigations into mechanisms of desertification, interaction
between desertification and human activities, and comprehensive
countermeasures, taking into consideration complex socioeconomic factors.
Japan shall also assist the measures by countries suffering from
desertification.
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