Critics slam Japan's lethargy on gas emission cuts
Date: 05-Jun-02
Country: JAPAN
Author: Miho Yoshikawa
At the 1997 United Nations climate conference in Kyoto, Japan pledged a six-percent cut in emissions of six greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide by 2008-2012, compared with 1990 levels. It ratified the agreement yesterday.
But a study by Japan's Environment Ministry showed emissions in 1999 were almost seven percent higher than 1990 levels. More recent data will not be published until later this year but critics say the picture has got no better.
Yurika Ayukawa, a senior officer involved with climate change policy at the World Wide Fund for Nature Japan, said it would be extremely difficult for Japan to achieve its target unless it hammered out comprehensive measures to reduce emissions.
"Japan must now reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a total of 13 percent but it has failed to draft new, fundamental measures showing how this can be achieved," Ayukawa said.
Greenhouse gases are blamed for global warming because they trap heat in the atmosphere and the worst offender is carbon dioxide produced from fuel burned by industry.
A rise in carbon dioxide emissions is to blame for the rise in Japan's emissions, with the Environment Ministry study showing such emissions in 1999 up nine percent from 1990 levels.
Emissions from the transport sector have seen one of the sharpest increase due to a rise in the number of vehicles, both private and industrial, a ministry official said.
WWF's Ayukawa dismissed a new framework to cut greenhouse gas emissions unveiled by a Japanese government task force in March as containing nothing new.
"Japan is going to be very behind in its efforts to achieve its target without new measures," she said.
RENEWABLE ENERGY IGNORED
Ayako Sekine, a climate change campaigner at Greenpeace Japan, echoed that view. "The government is failing to come up with measures to help the industrial sectors meet the target," Sekine said.
In particular, she pointed out that the government had failed to bring in measures to promote environmentally friendly, renewable energy sources such as solar power and wind power, despite their huge potential.
The government's framework called for the industrial sector to cut carbon dioxide emissions by seven percent and the commercial and household sector to cut emissions by two percent from 1990 levels by 2010.
One of Japan's top business group, the Federation of Economic Organisations (Keidanren), now part of the Japan Business Federation after a recent merger, set up an action programme to encourage industry to reduce emissions, but it was voluntary.
Ayukawa said the programme was incomplete and opaque as it only provided emissions data and targets by sector and not by individual companies.
In addition, it only covered Japan's top firms and did not include small and medium-sized firms, the source of much of Japan's economic activity, she said.
"You can set reduction targets only after you have a full understanding of the situation, not before that," Ayukawa said.
EMISSIONS TRADING
Britain in April became the first country to officially start greenhouse gas emissions trading, under which companies can transfer emission allowances under a scheme which is voluntary but which the government has encouraged as a way of helping the country meet its commitments.
Japan has not decided whether it will start greenhouse gas emissions trading. An Environment Ministry official said it would be examined after 2005, when a review is to be held.
However, some private sector firms in Japan are taking the lead, conducting a study into the feasibility of an emissions trading market.
Mitsubishi Research Institute Inc and Natsource Japan Co Ltd, in which energy broker Natsource has a stake, are planning to hold an emissions trading simulation exercise from September to let firms gain some experience.
About 20 firms have registered to take part in the exercise and there is room for 100, an official with Natsource Japan said. (additional rep