According to the Kyodo News, Japan will accelerate the introduction of renewable energy in its central government buildings in Tokyo as part of measures to achieve greenhouse gas reduction requirements under the Kyoto Protocol.
The plan also includes measures to urge local governments, corporations and the public to make more efforts to save energy and reduce emissions of gases believed to contribute to global warming. It aims for a reform of social and economic practices in hopes of a sustainable and long-term reduction of the greenhouse gases.
The government’s Global Warming Prevention Headquarters, headed by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, will complete the final draft by the end of this month and it is expected to be approved by the Cabinet as early as in May.
But issues including a proposed environment tax, which is opposed by the industrial sector, and the characterization of emissions trading remain unresolved among the environment, industry and other ministries concerned, and debate is likely to last throughout this month.
Under the plan, Japan aims to keep its increase of carbon dioxide emissions from energy consumption in fiscal 2010 to just 0.6 per cent up from the level of fiscal 1990.
When counted together with other measures such as reduction in other kinds of greenhouse gases, an increase in forest plantations and the purchase of emission quotas from other countries, Japan will meet its obligation of reducing emissions by 6 per cent compared with 1990, the base year for the Kyoto Protocol.
The draft plan says the government will take the lead by equipping governmental buildings in Tokyo’s Kasumigaseki area with fuel cells, solar and wind energy devices to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. It will also increase urban greenery and reform transportation and goods distribution systems.
As part of a nationwide public campaign, the local governments are to promote city planning that helps to prevent global warming, while corporations are to take the initiative to strengthen environmental measures and fulfil their social responsibility to make public their emission records.
The plan suggests that the public also make constant efforts to change daily habits to reduce energy consumption, such as by replacing household devices with energy-saving models.
Under the Kyoto Protocol, Japan is required to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 6 per cent from 1990 levels between 2008-2012.
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