Emissions cuts seen at maximum 7.2% in 2010

The government Friday set a higher target for reduced greenhouse gas emissions, pledging cuts of 6.2 to 7.2 percent from 1990 levels in fiscal 2010 to achieve a 6 percent cut pledged under the far-reaching Kyoto Protocol between 2008 and 2012.

With the compliance period of the Kyoto Protocol set to start from April, the revised plan aims to cut carbon dioxide emissions of industries and households by 9 to 10 percent by 2010.

This, it said, will be accomplished through strengthened "voluntary efforts" on the part of the industrial sector coupled with heightened public awareness of the need to conserve energy.

Japan will also obtain or purchase large amounts of emissions quotas from overseas to help it reach the target, according to the revised plan.

Critics questioned the effectiveness of the government's new target, given the fact that Japan's greenhouse gas emissions increased by 7.7 percent from the 1990 levels in fiscal 2005.

Thus, to reach its Kyoto goal, the country will need to reduce emissions by 13.7 percent on average over the next five years from the fiscal 2005 level.

Low operating rates of nuclear power plants due to a spate of accidents, coupled with soaring demand for steel and other industrial products from China and other developing economies, are key factors behind the increase since 1990. Energy consumption at households and office buildings has also greatly increased in recent years.

In addition to domestic efforts, Japan will obtain emissions quotas from overseas at amounts that translate as a 5.4-percent reduction each year using the Kyoto mechanism. The mechanism allows signatory countries to obtain credits by investing in emissions reduction projects in developing countries and through forestation efforts. Japan also intends to purchase credits from other industrialized countries, according to the revised plan.

As for establishing a domestic emissions trading system, viewed as highly effective in reducing emissions, the plan says it is an issue that deserves to be considered "comprehensively."

In a related development Friday, the Environment Ministry began posting on its Web site a list of companies that spew out large emissions.

Officials said the move was aimed at encouraging companies to buckle down and strengthen their "voluntary" reduction efforts.

It is the first time for the government to disclose company-by-company data on greenhouse gas emissions.

The ministry, along with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, also started disclosing company-by-company emissions data in the context of information disclosure requests.

According to the list, companies in the power, steel and cement industries were the cause of the most concern in fiscal 2006.

Tokyo Electric Power Co. topped the list at 68.88 million tons. Eleven power companies, four steel manufacturers and three cement companies made it to the list of top 20 greenhouse gas emitters.

JFE Steel Corp. ranked second with 60.29 million tons; Nippon Steel Corp. ranked third with 59.33 million tons; and Chubu Electric Power Co. ranked fourth with 47.32 million tons.

The list will be made available each year. This year, it covers 7,500 corporations, paying special attention to their 14,000 related offices, factories and other outlets mainly in industrial sectors.

Also covered are 1,400 firms in the transportation industry such as trucking companies.(IHT/Asahi: March 29,2008)