Japan’s big manufacturers reduced greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 15% annually on average over the past five years compared to 1990, according to a survey in the Nikkei daily Sunday.

U.S.

Legislation at national level essential because 'it is linchpin between action on the ground and international agreement'

Countries will pay a heavy cost for reneging on their commitments and opposing progress at Doha

The past few years – more so 2012 – have seen a noticeable downswing in the global commitment for combating climate change. The disappointing outcome of the UN-sponsored summit on climate change at Doha this year, as also at earlier meets at Durban (2011), Cancun (2010) and Copenhagen (2009), bear this out. None of the major environment-polluting countries showed any keenness to pledge unconditionally emission-reduction targets for the post-Kyoto period from 2013 onwards.

Expectations were low at Doha. But the 18th conference of parties (Cop 18) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change surprised even the cynics by legitimising a couldn’t-care-less doctrine.