Global Opinion Survey on Japan’s GHG Emission Reduction Targets for 2020

This is a call to participate in a global online survey from our friends at Japan for Sustainability.

In preparation for the Copenhagen meeting (COP15) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change at the end of 2009, Japan is currently engaged in debate about the country’s medium-term greenhouse gas emission reduction targets (for the period 2013 to 2020).

After considering public opinion and various other views, Prime Minister Taro Aso will decide on the medium-term targets this June. While environmental NGOs are calling for major emission reductions, industry is making a strong appeal for targets that will not lead to big reductions. A large gap in their positions persists.

Japan that will set its own national medium-term targets, but we at Japan for Sustainability (JFS) would like to ask people around the world for their comments, and then share our findings with Prime Minister Aso and the media here. Please take a few moments of your time to review the background and options being debated (below), then tell us what you think.

http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/028987.html

Please reply by the end of the day, May 16, 2009. If you have any questions about this survey, please write to info@japanfs.org.

We will post our findings on the JFS website at the end of May. We very much appreciate your help!

Publications From Other Sources

Learn more about the environment in Asian countries from the following resources:

Global

• The Little Green Data Book (The World Bank)
• Country Profile and/or State of Environment (UNEP Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific)
• Country Environmental Factsheets (The World Bank)
• Key World Energy Statistics 2007 (International Energy Agency)
• Global Environment Outlook: environment for development (UNEP)

Singapore

• Singapore Nature Map (Website)
• National Energy Policy Report (Ministry of Trade and Industry)
• Energy Efficient Singapore (National Environment Agency)
• ABC Waters Programme (Public Utilities Board)
• Green Mark Scheme (Building and Construction Authority)
• Key Environmental Statistics 2007 (Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources)
• NEA Annual Report 2006/2007 (National Environment Agency)
• NParks Annual Report 2006/2007 (National Parks Board)
• National Climate Change Strategy (Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources)
• Singapore Green Plan 2012 (Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources)
• State of the Environment 2005 Report (Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources)
• PUB Annual Report 2005 (Public Utilities Board)
• Guidebook on Waste Minimisation for Industries (National Environment Agency)

Hong Kong

• Environment Hong Kong 2007 (Environmental Protection Department)
• EPD Environmental Performance Report 2007 (Environmental Protection Department)

Japan

• Annual Report on the Environment and the Sound Material-Cycle Society in Japan 2007 (Ministry of the Environment)
• Annual Report on the Environment in Japan 2006 (Ministry of the Environment)
• Outline of the Basic Environment Plan (Ministry of the Environment)

South Korea

• Green Korea 2006 (Ministry of Environment)

Innovative Way to Store Bicycles

Cycling is becoming more popular as a mode of transport in Singapore. With this increasing trend, there are worries about bicycle parking and thefts. In Japan, there is an automated bicycle storage system that stores your bicycle underground and retreives it in less than a minute. The system saves space and prevents theft – something we could look into and adopt.

Latest Eco Products from Japan

This video from Reuters shows the latest eco products and technologies showcased at the recent Eco Products 2008 Expo in Japan.

Event: Eco-Products 2008

December 11, 2008

to

December 13, 2008

The tenth Eco-Products 2008 Exhibition will be held from 11-13 Dec at the Tokyo International Exhibition Center (TOKYO BIG SIGHT) in Tokyo. This annual exhibition is one of the biggest environmental event in Japan, showcasing environmentally friendly products and services. The three-day event is organised by the Japan Environmental Management Association for Industry (JEMAI) and Nikkei Inc., and is expected to draw more than 750 companies and organizations, and more than 170,000 visitors.

The theme for this year’s exhibition is “We Can Do It! Eco-lifestyle with a 50% CO2 Reduction”. Check out the Eco-Products 2008 website for more info and the list of exhibitors. English guided tours are also available here.

Ensuring the Future of Food in Japan

A short video on ensuring the future of food in Japan by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Simple, Effective and Viral.

A Solar City in Japan

This video from Reuters shows a model solar city in Japan, which uses electricity produced from rooftop solar panels.

Moss Greening to Curb Urban Heat Island Effect

Greening projects using moss have been conducted at many sites in Japan in recent years in order to deal with the heat-island effect (abnormal warming of the urban atmosphere due to the heat concentration). In addition to its features of absorbing carbon dioxide (CO2) outputs and lowering the surface temperature of buildings, a moss panel can be easily attached and does not require maintenance efforts. An increasing number of companies are using these panels for greening buildings.

Moss has various benefits: 1) it is easier to grow than grass; 2) it allows quick construction by using handy, light-weight panels; 3) maintenance is easy and watering is not required beyond collecting rainwater; 4) it allows the greening of rooftops, slanting surfaces and wall surfaces; 5) it absorbs large amounts of CO2; and 6) it provides insulation against heat and noise.

Green Alliance, a Japanese non-profit organization, has been promoting moss greening since 2006 by utilizing an exterior insulation greenery panel called “Woolly Moss.” It is a panel using “sunagoke” moss (rhacomitrium canescens) and “haigoke” moss (hypnum plumaeforme), as well as insulation materials made of carbonized corks and mudstones. Fifteen constructions have been performed to date and more are expected in the future. Similarly, another non-profit organization, Moss Green Eco, has been working to revitalize rural mountainous areas by producing moss in degraded lands, fallow fields or unused lands since 2007.

Source credit: Japan for Sustainability.

Asia Environmental News: 24 Oct 08

• Japan launches voluntary CO2 market (Reuters) – Japan recently launched a voluntary carbon market based on companies setting voluntary emission cuts.
• Hong Kong night light pollution under the spotlight (Reuters) – Environmentalists are critical of the unnecessary and wasteful practice of keeping neon signs and buildings brightly lit all night.
• New book on how Singapore achieved environmental and water sustainability (Straits Times via Wildsingapore) – A new book, Clean, Green And Blue, published by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies gives a detailed look at how Singapore achieved environmental and water sustainability in 40 years.
• China report warns of greenhouse gas leap (Reuters) – Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and other state institutes have concluded that China’s greenhouse gas emission could double or more in two decades.
• Recycling food waste into biogas in Singapore (Business Times via Wildsingapore) - IUT Global Pte Ltd is a Singapore-based company that operates a bio-methanisation plant to convert food waste into biogas and compost.
• Beijing offers cash to curb capital’s pollution (Reuters) – The Beijing government will give companies who stop highly polluting production up to 2.3 million yuan, to stimulate the replacement of high-pollution industries and clear the capital’s poor air.

Asia Environmental News

• China biggest carbon polluter, world levels at record: scientists (Yahoo! News UK) – A recent report by the Global Carbon Project confirms that China has overtaken the United States to become the biggest producer of carbon dioxide and that India is heading for third place. The report also showed that the present concentration of carbon dioxide at 383 ppm is the highest over the last 650,000 years, and developing countries now account for 53% of total carbon emissions.
• Vietnam: Heeding Climate Change Warnings (ENN) – A report by World Vision warned that Vietnam may become one of the nations worst hit by climate change, with sea level rise affecting 5% of the land area, 11% of the population and 7% of agriculture.
• Japan To Subsidize Solar Panels For Your House (TreeHugger) – Japan is introducing a subsidy of about 200,000 yen to households that buy a solar power system, which is about 10% of the cost of a standard solar power system. Japan has set a target of increasing solar power generation by 10 times from current levels by 2020 and 40 times by 2030.

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