Focus on Climate Change
It is probably the most urgent and contentious issue facing the international community – the impact of climate change. While there remain skeptics to its impact, the overwhelming scientific evidence is that the crisis is real, is getting worse and affects in various ways, every living species. Japan has been at the fore of climate change initiatives for many years and JICA spearheads many of the country’s activities with technical assistance, grant aid and yen loans for projects across the globe—ranging from the utilization of the latest satellite technology, to helping develop clean energy sources, protecting the environment against extreme temperature change and rising sea levels to ensuring adequate food supplies and health care for the world’s most vulnerable people.
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JICA and Climate Change
Japan has been a major player in climate change initiatives for many years and the country’s major development agency, JICA, is involved in projects aimed principally at helping the world’s most vulnerable people to alleviate the impact.
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A land of Many Splendors – but Major Climate Change Problems
Indonesia has one of the largest populations in the world and one of its most spectacular displays of fauna and flora. But it also has huge environmental problems and is currently the third largest polluter of greenhouse gases.
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Desert Winds Bring New Hope to Egypt
For centuries the desert was a barrier to progress in Egypt. Now, however, these same climatic extremes are a major hope for a better future and Africa’s largest wind farm has been established there to help the country meet its energy needs.
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From the Himalayas to the Pacific – Science to the Rescue
Melting glaciers are causing concern in the Himalayas. In the Pacific, islands fear they may simply disappear. In Brazil sugar cane waste is causing a climate change headache. Science is trying to tackle the crises.
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From Kyoto….
The Kyoto Protocol is an unique international initiative to help tackle climate change and global warming. But 12 years after its adoption, progress among nations has been hesitant.
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To Copenhagen
December 2009’s conference in the Danish capital will continue efforts by some 192 countries to reach a comprehensive agreement though it appeared clear that negotiations would continue into 2010 as major issues remained unresolved.
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Facts and Figures
Everyone is affected to some degree by climate change. However, the worst impact has fallen on the world’s most vulnerable people – those least responsible for producing global warming and the least able to combat the effects.
