Ishihara rebukes countries over climate change stance

Thursday 23rd October, 07:17 AM JST

TOKYO —

Tokyo Gov Shintaro Ishihara on Wednesday berated national leaders for their “foolish” failure to halt global warming as the world’s biggest cities met to plan action on the climate. Mayors or senior officials from 36 of the world’s largest cities were gathering for two days of talks in Tokyo on how to fight global warming in the latest meeting of the so-called C40 climate initiative.

Ishihara, in an opening address, lashed out at Russia and the United States for disputing rights to the North Pole, noting that the polar ice cap was melting at a record pace.

“Such is the ego of human beings. It’s such a foolish tale,” Ishihara said. He said he was “very disappointed” with international talks on climate change including July’s summit in Japan of leaders of the Group of Eight rich nations, who called for at least halving global carbon emissions by 2050.

“It’s easy to share a sense of crisis, but if you can’t come up with specific measures to deal with this, then the crisis will only get worse,” Ishihara said.

Wire reports

Latest 15 of 32 Total Comments Show All

anonymouswoman at 03:40 PM JST - 23rd October

I really do not like Gov. Ishihara. he should be replaced. he always thinks that his point of views are always correct. Japan should know that they don't help so much about global warming, they are now having problem with recycling.Japan, look around you and help the environment.
apecNetworks at 04:37 PM JST - 23rd October

I said this a looooooong time ago on JT - when the Japanese coasts starts contracting 360degrees, the Japanese will go NUTZ!! Gov. Ishihara knows the people, and is probably aware of the future reaction and may be very pessimistic in successfully addressing the climate change issue.

If something isn't done soon, stick your head between your legs and.......
realist at 04:50 PM JST - 23rd October

If the fascist Ishihara wants to cut global carbon emissions by a vast amount, he could start by keeping his big mouth shut. That would save a great deal of ice at the North Pole.

As regards this "Global Warming" farce - there are those of us who think it is all nonsense. There is no such thing. Its a natural cycle of events, nothing more, nothing less. Governments and craxzy politicians like Ishihara are using it bto raise taxes and make life as miserable for us, thats all. Its all a load of old cobblers.
apecNetworks at 05:11 PM JST - 23rd October

To Realist:

Here's food for thought - you have a 30 x 30 meter room and in one corner are some old guys drinking and smoking up a storm in a room full of people. Do you suppose secondhand smoke will affect you in any way?

Now, take that model and calculate how much crap is being blown into the environment yearly, each year increasing in tonnage of waste. Many people believe that blown out waste will affect the environment worst than what secondhand smoke will cause in a large room. The waste has been proven to affect the environment, but the technology doesn't exist to calibrate the damage. Thus, the debate.
presto345 at 05:20 PM JST - 23rd October

Global warming and climate change are facts supported by evidence: the figures. You can pretend to be a realist and stick your head in the sand at the same time, but the change is there. Whether or to what extent this change is attributable to human behavior is still open to debate, but the layman has nothing to stand on. Only what he peruses on the internet or what his gut tells him. In that respect governor Ishihara himself is not a scientist and a layman too. It may be argued that the climate change argument is nothing but a conspiracy, but I fail to see the point of it. Ishihara is not known for his polished manners. He is a different kind of politician/diplomat, but I find it refreshing hearing him lash out at Russia and the United States. Even if global warming is not the cause of CO2 trapped in the upper atmosphere, wasting energy on a grand scale is still extremely deplorable.
outofmydepth at 05:27 PM JST - 23rd October

that blow-hard has a lot of nerve. tokyo is hotter than hades in the summer and he does nothing to curb it. heat-island effect. has he heard of that? and more and more and more highways and cars go into tokyo every day. i bet you dollars to donuts he does not use public transportation.
presto345 at 05:37 PM JST - 23rd October

Even if global warming is not the cause of CO2 trapped in the upper atmosphere, wasting energy on a grand scale is still extremely deplorable.

My proofreader is off today so this blooper slipped through! Humble apologies. It should read: Even if global warming in not caused by CO2, etc.
apecNetworks at 06:20 PM JST - 23rd October

Correction:

"If something isn't done soon, stick your head between your legs and......."

This comment/cliche' is in reference to no one in particular.
linro at 08:08 PM JST - 23rd October

Ok all! if anyone believes the world belongs to us? then think again it belongs to the future generations if we are still here in 2050 fatloser! put on your polarized sunglasses and look out the aircraft window the next time you fly! when was the last time you saw purple sea with cracks because of pollution settling on the surface,hey fatloser you teach your seeing eye dog well he must read for you!!
ThonTaddeo at 09:23 PM JST - 23rd October

that blow-hard has a lot of nerve. tokyo is hotter than hades in the summer and he does nothing to curb it. heat-island effect. has he heard of that? and more and more and more highways and cars go into tokyo every day. i bet you dollars to donuts he does not use public transportation.

I completely agree -- why are there no rooftop gardens? Why is "Cool Biz" forcing us to endure 28-degree indoor temperatures in the summer while they still use heating like crazy in the winter? ("Warm Biz" should be about 15-16 degrees if there were any justice!)

Ever look into restrictions on house construction? These days, all new houses have to have access to roads wide enough for an automobile to drive on. If you're rebuilding on a property that only has a thin alleyway, you've got to give up some of your land for roads. They're making things easier for automobiles -- this should be the exact opposite!

Consider also that the fines for parking one's bicycle in restricted areas continue to increase. They should be making it easier to commute by bicycle, not harder! Bicycles should be society's favorite vehicle: they take up very little space on the roads compared to cars; zero pollution; they keep riders fit (and thus less strain on health care); etc., etc., but the government has it in for cyclists. (Just don't ride one past a koban too many times!)

If Ishihara really cared about climate change, he'd start by making his own city a more ecological place to live.
browny1 at 11:19 PM JST - 23rd October

For energy waste and inefficiency in the so called developed world, Tokyo must be up there near if not on the top.

To spout what 10,000's before him have already proclaimed long & hard, with far more nouse and conviction, Ishihara certainly believes he is a saviour.

The greenhouse gases resulting from his 24hour/365 day mega-mess probably is melting the pole alone.
teaabe at 02:50 AM JST - 24th October

people have to realize that Ishihara is a political porn star. he's really quite entertaining once his mouth starts moving. just enjoy the show.
Nessie at 03:04 AM JST - 24th October

Consider also that the fines for parking one's bicycle in restricted areas continue to increase. They should be making it easier to commute by bicycle, not harder!

Yes! I'm not even allowed to park outside my own office building. 2000 yen fine.
ThonTaddeo at 04:57 AM JST - 24th October

Nessie, you might want to invest in a folding bicycle that you can then bring into the building with you. Lighter ones only weigh about 10 kg, and provided you have some storage space in your office and don't mind folding it and unfolding it over and over, it could be a good investment.
Nessie at 05:37 PM JST - 24th October

Nessie, you might want to invest in a folding bicycle that you can then bring into the building with you. Lighter ones only weigh about 10 kg, and provided you have some storage space in your office and don't mind folding it and unfolding it over and over, it could be a good investment.

Thanks, Thon, but the performance of those folding bikes isn't so great, and there's nowhere to put it at my office. On those days I do ride -- not today, with all the rain here -- I'm paying 100 yen per day for a lot near my office, or parking the bike about 5 minutes away behind the central post office. There are monthly pay lots, but I don't ride every day, so those are not for me. I've noticed I spend less at Sapporo Station not that I can't park my bike there. Again, I doubt the city will factor any of this into its annual calculation of C02 emissions.