In July 2008 the Japanese government adopted a target for 2050 of reducing greenhouse-gas emissions by 60 to 80 percent from 2005 levels. At the same time, a special panel was created to deliberate midterm reduction goals (through 2020).
Views among panel members, however, have been so diversified that as of April, there were six separate proposals on how 2020 emission levels should compare against 1990 levels: (1) 4 percent increase, (2) 1 percent increase to 5 percent reduction, (3) 7 percent reduction, (4) 8 to 17 percent reduction, (5) 15 percent reduction, and (6) 25 percent reduction.
Virtually no objection has been expressed against a long-term target of halving global emissions by 2050. That's because few, if any, of those now debating the issue will be alive 40 years from now.