What's happened
The US and Japan have announced new climate targets aimed at reducing carbon emissions significantly by 2035. The US aims for a 61-66% reduction from 2005 levels, while Japan targets a 46% reduction from 2013 levels by 2030. Both countries are responding to international climate commitments ahead of a February deadline.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to Fiona Harvey in The Guardian, President Biden's announcement of tougher targets is a 'defiant final gesture' as he prepares to leave office, aiming for a 61-66% reduction in emissions by 2035. Meanwhile, Shoko Oda from The Japan Times reports that Japan's new strategy aims for a 46% reduction by 2030, aligning with international climate commitments. Andrew Freedman from Axios highlights the potential challenges these targets face under a Trump administration, noting that state and local governments will play a crucial role in achieving these goals despite federal rollbacks.
How we got here
Both the US and Japan are among the world's top carbon emitters. The US, under President Biden, is submitting a new Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the Paris Agreement, while Japan's government is finalizing its emissions reduction strategy. These commitments come as nations prepare for a global climate summit in 2025.
More on these topics
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The Paris Agreement is an agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, dealing with greenhouse-gas-emissions mitigation, adaptation, and finance, signed in 2016.
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