German Ambassador Hans-Joachim Daerr on Wednesday called on Japan to serve as a mediator in the coming Group of Eight summit between countries eager to take strong measures on global warming and their more reluctant counterparts.
Speaking before newspaper officials and editors in Tokyo, Daerr said that if Japan sides completely with the European Union, which is proposing a 20 percent cut in carbon dioxide emissions by 2020, it will not work.
Repeating German Chancellor Angela Merkel's view, Daerr said that developed countries must do more than developing nations in the fight against global warming and give them a chance to catch up in economic progress.
He said that a more equitable way to settle reduction goals would be to pay attention to the per capita emissions of each country, rather than their total emissions.
Given their high energy efficiency and energy saving technologies, Germany and Japan are in a good position to tell other countries that it is possible to pursue economic growth while pushing environmental protection, he said.
Touching on energy sources dubbed as friendly to the environment, including biofuel and nuclear energy, he said it is necessary to strictly assess all of the costs involved, including production and environmental costs.