 Japan heatwave kills 170, sends more than 54,000 to hospital Tokyo (AFP) Sept 14, 2010 - At least 170 people have died from heatstroke and more than 54,000 have been rushed to hospital in Japan's hottest summer on record, the government said Tuesday. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said 54,386 people, nearly half of them over 65, were taken to hospital with heatstroke between May 31 and September 12 -- 1,824 of them in critical condition. The agency said 170 people were confirmed dead shortly after arriving at hospital, and more were believed to have died later. Japan has experienced its hottest summer since 1898, when records began, according to the meteorological agency. In August, the mercury often soared above 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) in many areas of the country. The average temperature nationwide between June and August was 1.64 degrees C hotter than normal for the period, forecasters have said. The previous record margin, set in 1994, was 1.36 degrees C. |
The cap-and-trade system is a market driven approach that sets a ceiling on harmful emissions that contribute to global warming and allows polluters to trade permits with greener companies in order to meet the ceiling.
"The federal government's intention to link its climate policy with the possible cap-and-trade system in the United States is understandable and sensible," said the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
"However, acting unilaterally would result in domestic and international credibility gains," the OECD told Canada in its latest Economic Survey for the country.
"In fact, uncertainty as to future regulation is becoming a major barrier to investment in nonconventional oil and natural gas industries," the 2010 study noted.
The cap-and-trade system, lauded by US President Barack Obama and largely embraced by environmental groups, has met furious opposition from the US oil industry.
"Canada should thus remain vigilant and not import avoidable climate-policy uncertainty from its neighbour. Over the medium term, it should strive to meet efficiency levels comparable to international best practices," the OECD recommended.
The OECD said high oil prices have made the development of oil sands in Alberta extremely profitable, but at a high environmental cost.
By 2008, greenhouse gas emissions were 24% above 1990 levels, compared with Canada's Kyoto commitment to cut them by 6%, although less than 10% of the increase is attributable to oil-sands development, the think tank said.
The report also pointed out that while Canada aligned its commitment with the US to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 17% below 2005 levels by 2020, it has yet to lay out a plan on how this would be achieved.
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