Japan Must Accelerate Measures for Kyoto Target Achievement Plan

At the Global Warming Prevention Headquarters meeting on July 7, 2006, the Japanese government checked on the progress of the Kyoto Protocol Target Achievement Plan. The meeting found that the Japanese measures against global warming have made specific and concrete progress. At the same time, the government found that it still needs to accelerate some measures beyond past efforts in order to assure achievement of the target.

Japan's total emissions of greenhouse gases in fiscal 2004 increased by 8 percent from 1990 base levels and have also grown by 1.8 percent when compared with fiscal 2003 ¡Êexcluding the effect of the availability factor of nuclear power plants). Between fiscal 2004 and fiscal 2010, it is necessary to achieve reduction targets of 10.4 percent from fiscal 2004 levels in the energy conversion sector, 6.6 percent in the industrial sector, 4.4 percent in the transportation sector, 27.2 percent in other sectors, including offices and other business facilities, and 18.3 percent in the household sector. In the case of forest carbon sinks, if forest management remains at current levels, the amount of the reduction is estimated to fall far below the target of 3.9 percent.

Quantitative evaluation and revision of the plan is scheduled in fiscal 2007, and the result is expected to directly influence the amount of emission and absorption during the first commitment period beginning in fiscal 2008. The government needs to strictly assess the progress of measures and policies to ensure that the 6 percent reduction commitment is achieved.



Posted: 2006/09/22 04:57:19 PM
Japanese version