Japan Sets 2020 Target 2% More Than Kyoto Pledge

Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso announced that Japan will cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 15% over the next 11 years, a figure derided by environmentalists as "appalling." The target equates to a cut of about 8% from 1990 levels by 2020, just 2% more than what Japan pledged it would achieve by 2012 under the Kyoto Protocol. "I do not believe it is a number that is close to what Japan needs to do and should do," said Yu Qingtai, Chinese climate envoy. NGOs at the United Nations climate change talks in Bonn rallied against the target, including Avaaz.org which released a flyer dubbing the Japanese Prime Minister "George W. Aso."