Japan aims to pass climate bill by year–end UN talks

Japan will aim to pass a shelved climate bill setting tough emission reduction targets before the annual UN meeting in Mexico at the end of this year. The ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ)-led government had hoped to enact the bill, which paves the way for a mandatory emissions trading system, by the end of the current session of parliament. But with time having run out for deliberations, the bill will be delayed. The government now plans to resubmit the bill to parliament after an upper house election expected on 11 July. Environment Minister Sakihito Ozawa said he wanted to have the bill enacted by a UN meeting in Mexico from 29 November - 10 December, where negotiations will take place for a global agreement on fighting climate change. "We want to complete the bill by COP 16, so we can show our determination (on climate policy)," Ozawa told a news conference. Japan is the world's fifth-biggest greenhouse gas emitter and its pledge to cut emissions by 25% from 1990 levels by 2020 is government policy and part of the bill.