The most recent scientific findings, including those of the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warn that climate change is already occurring and that it will destroy valuable ecosystems and seriously affect our life. The international community must respond quickly to this critical problem.

The Asia-Pacific, which includes the high-emission countries of Japan, China, and India, accounts for over 30% of global GHG emissions. It is no overstatement to say that the solution to climate change will be determined by what path to development is chosen by the region.

At the same time, the Asia-Pacific is one of the world regions that most heavily sustains the damaging impacts of climate change. The IPCC Fourth Assessment Report observes that in the 2050s at least one billion people in Asia will be adversely affected by water shortages and that the risk of food shortages will increase. Small island states face an imminent threat to their very survival due to climate related extreme events and sea level rise. Climate change is therefore literally a matter of life and death for people in the Asia-Pacific region.

Science indicates that global emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) need to peak in the next 10 years and then be reduced to very low levels, well below half of the current levels by the middle of the twenty-first century in order to avoid dangerous climate change. That means that urgent and drastic emission reduction is needed. Building on our efforts so far, we should promote more extensive mitigation efforts. In this context, a successful outcome at the coming Copenhagen Conference to agree to a more aggressive international climate policy is exceedingly critical in order to powerfully boost mitigation efforts by countries.

It is essential that national governments play a leading role and assume responsibility for promoting ambitious mitigation efforts. We as citizens have the power to promote climate policy beginning with our own daily mitigation actions and by being the real decision makers influencing national and local climate policies. A store of valuable experiences on local climate policies and measures has been built in Japan and all over the world. These experiences should be shared within the Asia-Pacific region. Exchange and collaboration across borders among local authorities and among citizens within the Asia-Pacific region can be the source of strength to promote climate policy in each country of the region.


With this purpose in mind, we make this appeal from Kyoto, the birthplace of the Kyoto Protocol, where we are gathered for this symposium shortly before the Copenhagen Conference.

1. We appeal to all countries including Japan to show leadership so that the agreement reached in Copenhagen will powerfully expedite aggressive climate policies and measures with a view to avoiding dangerous climate change.
   
2. In order to fundamentally solve the climate change problem, it is necessary to transform our socioeconomic system into a low-carbon sustainable one incorporating environmental protection as a precept based on history and culture.
   
   • To achieve a sustainable Asia-Pacific, we will build up a local community enabling endogenous and sustainable development by continuing to improve energy efficiency and to expand renewable energy by maximizing its local potential. We appeal to national and local governments to establish and promote policies supporting these efforts.
     
   • We will promote the exchange of information and experiences among local authorities and citizens, and also encourage cross-border collaboration relating to mitigation and adaptation policies and measures in the Asia-Pacific region.

November 21, 2009
Adopted by the participants in the International Symposium
“Towards a Sustainable Low-Carbon Society in Asia”
organized by the Asia-Pacific NGO Environmental Conference (APNEC9 in Kyoto),
Kyoto Prefecture and Kyoto City.