5 Japan firms launch coalition to combat global warming

I / Tokyo July 30, 2009, 10:44 IST

Five major Japanese companies said they have jointly launched an organization to fight global warming by creating a sustainable low carbon society.     

Aeon Co., the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Fujitsu Ltd., Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co. and Ricoh Co. have founded the Japan Climate Leader's Partnership, or Japan-CLP, which they said yesterday, supports the idea of halving global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.     

The launching of the joint body, unique among Japanese businesses, comes ahead of a key UN climate change conference to be held in Copenhagen in December aimed at creating a global framework to replace the 1997 Kyoto Protocol on fighting global warming.     

"We have founded Japan-CLP to urge the industrial community to develop a sound sense of urgency on the issue of climate change and to initiate more proactive actions, "the five companies said, adding Japan-CLP will provide support for "helping emissions to peak out at the earliest possible stage."     

"The transformation to a sustainable low-carbon society will also open up new business opportunities driven by appropriate policies and frameworks, and the proactive engagement of corporations," they said in a statement.