Japanese Peace Cranes

This story was originally published on the UKYCC’s UN blog.

Starting on Tuesday (after a miniature battle to get approval from the UNFCCC bosses) UKYCC on behalf of YOUNGO has, each day, presented the Japanese negotiating team with origami peace cranes. The idea of this action is to send two key messages to Japan. One is to show support for the difficult year they have had with the earthquake. The other is to demonstrate that we are looking to Japan to maintain its emissions reductions targets of 25% and also remain committed to the Kyoto Protocol.

This is because the Japanese are currently rethinking their targets and may lower their emissions reductions. As a developed, high emitting and influential nation Japan are one of the parties which is crucial to a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol (KP). There is also a strong connection because the KP was created in Japan. They can be seen as a “swing” country – if we get them on board others may follow.

As Luke explained in his KP blog, we love the KP – while its targets are not strong enough to solve the climate crisis, it is the only legal framework we have to ensure emissions reductions targets are achieved. When KP runs out in 2012 parties will have to build an entire new legal framework and there will be a gap in which parties can emit without having to answer to anyone.

Japanese peace cranes are a traditional symbol of fidelity, prosperity and long life: we are asking for fidelity to KP and for the prosperity and long life that will come from a global solution to climate change. They are also a sign of good will, which we all feel for Japan this year. Natural disasters will increase in severity and frequency under current climate predictions; I personally feel that it doesn’t make a lot of sense to relinquish responsibility for climate change in the face of recent events.

On the cranes we have also written haikus – traditional Japanese poems in the form of 3 lines with 5 syllables, 7 syllables and 5 syllables – which contain our messages. The first we used was:

A peace crane for you / Prosperity and long life / From youth to Japan

And the second was…

25% / We’re glad you’re leading on this / Keep up the good work

We also had fun origami folding (thanks Mum for the tuition!).

The peace cranes were really well received by Japan, with lots of bowing and nodding, as you can see from the photos. Over the next few days we will put some stronger messages on the cranes, regarding the KP, and also give them a much larger crane to end on.

This action has been met with approval by the Global Campaign for Climate Action who highlighted the importance of focussing on Japan as a key country in moving negotiations forward both here and in Durban.