1. Entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol, the first step toward long-term international efforts to prevent global warming, went into force on 16 February 2005. The Protocol establishes quantitative goals for restraining and reducing developed countries’ emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases over the 2008-2012 period (1^st Commitment Period). Japan, for example, has committed to reducing its emissions by six percent, the US by seven percent, and the EU as a whole by eight percent, with 1990 as the base year. Countries are now pushing forward with efforts, reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and securing carbon dioxide sinks and using the Kyoto Mechanisms, to meet these commitments.

2. Development of the Kyoto Protocol Target Achievement Plan
Japan ratified the Kyoto Protocol in June 2002. In March that year, the government drew up the New Climate Change Policy Program (NCCPP), which included basic principles such as ensuring compatibility between the environment and the economy. Active efforts have since been underway to push forward various measures to achieve Japan’s Kyoto Protocol commitments, including promoting and strengthening energy conservation measures. NCCPP stipulates targets for different areas, with 0.5 percent of the commitment to be met through a reduction in domestic greenhouse gas emissions, 3.9 percent through sinks, and the approximate remaining 1.6 percent through use of the Kyoto Mechanisms.

Now that the Kyoto Protocol has moved into force, the Framework will be succeeded by the Kyoto Protocol Target Achievement Plan. To facilitate this, the government has been evaluating and reviewing NCCPP-based measures taken to date and considering the direction of future global warming prevention measures, as well as additional measures to be instituted.

3. Strengthening measures and reviewing emission volumes
The amount of greenhouse gas emissions in FY2002 was 7.6 percent up on the base year. Given that Japan has already achieved the world’s highest levels of energy efficiency, meeting our Kyoto Protocol commitments will be no easy task.

However, on the basis of the principle of environment-economy compatibility, we will need to promote further efforts in the industrial sector, where emissions are already being steadily reduced (1.7 percent down in FY2002 compared to 1990), and strengthen measures in the transport and commercial and residential sectors, where emissions shot up by 20.4 percent and 33 percent respectively.

METI will work to radically strengthen energy conservation across the industry, transport and non-manufacturing sectors. This will include, firstly, in the industrial sector, extending energy conservation obligations out to more factories. Secondly, in the transport sector, METI will coordinate with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to make energy conservation measures compulsory for new freight carriers, consignors and consignees. Thirdly, in the commercial and residential sector, we will promote greater energy efficiency in housing and other buildings, as well as in air conditioners and other machinery, and encourage retailers to supply reader-friendly energy conservation information.

As a result of these measures, carbon dioxide emissions created through energy use are expected to rise by 0.6 percent on total base-year emissions by 2010, but by strengthening F-gas recovery measures, we expect to be able to reduce domestic greenhouse gas emissions by the target 0.5 percent.

Flexibility in meeting commitments has been built into the Kyoto Protocol in the form of the Kyoto Mechanisms, which enable countries to use greenhouse gas emission reductions achieved in other countries to meet their own reduction commitments. As employing the Kyoto Mechanisms will contribute not only to reaching Japan’s own commitments, but also to preventing global warming on a global scale, it will be vital that Japan takes an active approach to their utilization.

Another critical issue will be the institution of truly effective measures to counter global warming, which will require the effective combination of stronger energy conservation measures, stronger F-gas recovery measures and utilization of the Kyoto Mechanisms in the Target Achievement Plan.

4. Climate Change Framework after Kyoto Protocol
The deadline for the international instruments stipulated by the Kyoto Protocol is 2012, and international discussion will begin in 2005 on a successor framework. It will be critical that all the world’s main greenhouse gas-emitting nations participate in the framework after Kyoto Protocol, including the US, which left the Kyoto Protocol, and countries like China and India that have no reduction commitments under the Kyoto Protocol, and that the new framework lock in effective commitments from all members.