Japan's GHG Emissions 8.3% Above 1990 Levels

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Japan amounted to 1.339 billion tons in CO2 equivalent in fiscal 2003, up about 9 million tons over a year earlier, the Ministry of the Environment announced on May 26, 2005. This was an 8.3 percent increase, or about 102 million tons, over the 1990 base year under the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.

Despite various nationwide actions to curb global warming, GHG emissions increased due to the expansion of socioeconomic activities such as increasing population and the number of households, expanding economic scales and a growing number of car owners. The MOE assumes that Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s long-term suspension of operations of its nuclear power plants was also responsible for the increase.

The Japanese government aims to meet Japan's commitment under the Kyoto Protocol to reduce the GHG emissions by 6 percent from 1990 levels by the years 2008-2012. The plans include measures for curbing GHGs emissions, enhancement of carbon sinks, and the use of the Kyoto Mechanisms. The government plans to attain its goal in cooperation with both public and private sectors.



Posted: 2005/09/12 02:19:54 PM
Japanese version