China needs political reform if it is to effectively curb its greenhouse gas emissions and maintain economic growth, an influential Japanese economist said.
Economic policy analyst Naoki Tanaka stressed that political reform in China would shape future relations with Japan and is vital to overcoming the many environmental challenges inherent to growth.
These issues took center stage when a report released in June said China had overtaken the United States as the world's largest emitter of carbon dioxide.
Speaking at a recent New York forum on how Japan can leverage its power to bring increased economic stability to East Asia, Tanaka noted that although Japan also experienced environmental problems in the 1970s, those who suffered from pollution "screamed," drawing attention to their plight through social movements. The government, in response, instituted rigorous energy-conservation policies, he noted.