2015 will be a milestone year for climate change action. The international community is moving toward a new framework on climate change to be agreed on at the Paris Climate Conference in December. However, reaching assent on this potentially historic agreement will not be straightforward.

Japan takes the position that the new framework needs to be fair, effective and applicable to all parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change. We believe that all parties should be obliged to submit greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, to take measures aiming to achieve them, and to report and to be reviewed on their implementation. In this respect, I would like to explain Japan's efforts to tackle climate change and emissions.

The earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima nuclear accident of 2011 drastically changed Japan's energy situation. Despite facing immense challenges, the nation managed to achieve the highest level of energy efficiency in the world and continue to pursue further measures to cut emissions. At the Group of Seven summit in June, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reiterated Japan's strong commitment to emissions reductions.