Environment Ministry to Subsidize Reduction of Greenhouse Gases

Japan's Ministry of the Environment (MOE) has decided on a policy to subsidize the reduction of greenhouse gases in order to promote greenhouse gas reduction programs set up by Regional Councils of Measures to Cope with Global Warming.

A subsidy of 50 yen (about 40 cents U.S.) per "climate point" (equivalent to a reduction of one kilogram of greenhouse gas emissions) will be granted to the non-governmental organizations or public-service corporations participating in the program.

This "climate point system," based on the Law Concerning the promotion of the Measures to Cope with Global Warming, will cover efforts to reduce greenhouse gases by the regional councils, consisting of municipalities, non-profit organizations, consumer groups, and chambers of commerce and industry. The MOE plans to incorporate approximately 200 million yen (about U.S.$163 million) into ministerial budget requests (to the Ministry of Finance) for the next fiscal year. The Japan Environment Corporation (JEC), which operates this system, will subsidize a total of about 10 initiatives, at a maximum for each of 400,000 points, or 20 million yen (about U.S.$163,000). In addition to an existing system operated by the JEC to support NGOs, the JEC will introduce this new subsidy system, which focuses on the results of emissions reductions.

Greenhouse gases from non-industrial sectors account for 25 percent of total emissions in Japan, and have increased by 20 percent during the past ten years. This emissions growth rate roughly equals that of the transportation sector, at 21 percent, making the need for countermeasures an urgent issue.



Posted: 2002/10/13 06:46:53 AM
Japanese version