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Japan Goes for Potentially Achievable CO2 Emissions Reductions
Japan has announced a target of a 15% reduction in CO2 emissions below 2005 levels by 2020. Japanese prime minister Mr Aso described Japan’s new target as “ambitious“:
Mr. Aso was quick to point out that unlike targets set under the Kyoto Protocol, which allowed countries to use emissions offsets and other methods, the 15 percent decrease would come from actual cuts. The government recently introduced subsidies that encourage the use of solar power in Japanese homes, as well as incentives on low-emission cars.
The 15 percent target, he stressed, was a compromise he had reached after consulting extensively with scientists and economists, as well as with members of the public.
To meet the target, Japan will pursue breakthroughs in environmental technology, as well as expand the use of nuclear energy. Mr. Aso has said Tokyo aims to expand solar output by a factor of 20 and put more “green” cars on Japanese roads.
Climate policy expert Roger Pielke Jr says:
In other words, Japan is focused on actually changing the carbon intensity of its economy, and not with playing accounting games with allowances, credits, and offsets. The Japanese economy is the second most carbon efficient large economy (after France) and thus additional progress comes at a correspondingly more costly price. Consider that if the world economy was as carbon efficient as Japan’s economy, then carbon dioxide emissions this year would be about 33% less.
Of course, Japan could have gone along with Europe and now the U.S. in making fictional commitments to fictional targets and timetables, and everyone would have praised their commitments. We have seen how well that approach has worked out in Australia.
Sincere efforts should be rewarded, and Japan is showing leadership on a difficult challenge. While it is true that Japan’s proposals do not represent a complete solution to the challenge of decarbonization — far from it — they do point toward a way forward, which is much more than can be said for other nations or the actions under the Framework Convention.
What does Japan get for its leadership? Criticism.
Such is the up is down world of climate policy where no good deed goes unpunished.
September 17th, 2009 at 5:16 am
kinda sad how Japan seems to be the only ones that are successfully reducing their carbon emissions especially how the emissions would be 33 percent lower if everyone were at the level that they are. almost makes a person loose all hope.
November 19th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
Japan are clearly forging ahead with their carbon accounting. It is a huge issue brought even more into focus by the Deloitte carbon accounting report this month.
Europe has so far been unable to reach an agreement on how to account for its carbon emissions. Carbon traders in the US have only just started to engage with the issue of carbon accounting in an already complex and unfamiliar market.
In the report, Deloitte addresses several commonly asked questions that organisations ask about carbon accounting. More specifically Deloitte discusses the following issues:
1. Emission allowances
2. Obligations
3. Presentation of allowances and obligation
4. Forward emission contracts
We at Envido think that the report is incredibly helpful for organisations that are unsure about the steps they should take with regards to carbon accounting.