The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) established the Domestic Committee for International Standardization of the Carbon Footprint System (Chairman: Atsushi Inaba, professor at the University of Tokyo) in order to discuss, in consideration of domestic activities, the policy that Japan should follow in coping with the development of international standards on the carbon footprint system by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Its first meeting was held on July 31. The aim of the Committee is to make a proactive contribution to the debate on establishing international standards on the carbon footprint system, as spelled out in the Action Plan for Establishing a Low Carbon Society, which was approved by the Cabinet on July 29.

1. Date and place
Thursday, July 31, from 14:00 to 16:00, at the Kirishima conference room on the third floor of the Annex of the Sabo Hall

2. Committee members
• Academics (Chairman: Atsushi Inaba, professor at the University of Tokyo)
• 27 industry groups, including those from the manufacturing, service, food, energy, distribution, and logistics industries
• Three consumer groups
• Certification organizations and accreditation organizations
• Related ministries (METI, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Ministry of the Environment)
• Japan Environmental Management Association For Industry (secretariat)

3. Agenda and outline
(a) Establishment of the Domestic Committee for International Standardization of the Carbon Footprint System
The aim of the Committee was explained as follows: The Committee has been established to make a proactive contribution to the debate on establishing international standards on the carbon footprint system, as spelled out in the Action Plan for Establishing a Low Carbon Society, which was approved by the Cabinet on July 29; it shall make decisions for Japan (Japanese Industrial Standards Committee: JISC) concerning the ISO’s activities to develop international standards on the carbon footprint system; for this purpose, the Committee shall discuss the design of the desirable carbon footprint system, in consideration of domestic activities mainly conducted by the Study Group for Developing and Promoting the Carbon Footprint System and the Study Group on Rules on the Calculation, Labeling and Evaluation of CO2 Emissions.

(b) Activities by the Study Group for Developing and Promoting the Carbon Footprint System
An explanation was given on discussions held by the Study Group for Developing and Promoting the Carbon Footprint System and the Study Group on Rules on the Calculation, Labeling and Evaluation of CO2 Emissions (both set up by METI) and efforts underway to show prototypes at Eco-Products 2008 in December 2008.

(c) Overseas trends in the carbon footprint system
The explanation focused on field trials for the carbon footprint system and a survey on consumer understanding of this system in the UK. This included a description of British products carrying carbon footprint labels on a trial basis and a draft standard (PAS 2050) used for field trials.

(d) Updates on ISO discussions
Reports were provided on three recent meetings of SC 7 (greenhouse gas management and related activities) of ISO/TC 207 (environmental management), which took place in January 2008 in Mexico, April in Vienna, and June in Bogota, respectively. The report on the Bogota meeting included an explanation of the reason why Japan had submitted a new work item proposal (NWIP) together with the UK, Germany, the U.S. and other countries, and what the NWIP was about.

4. Future plans
The Committee will be convened as needed in accordance with the progress of relevant discussions at the ISO, for making decisions for Japan and for debating on the design of the desirable carbon footprint system with domestic activities taken into account. The second meeting will be held on October 24 to share updates on overseas surveys and the progress of domestic activities and to discuss actions to be taken concerning the NWIP.

Reference
1. The carbon footprint system is aimed at promoting understanding by consumers of Co2 emissions by displaying greenhouse gas emissions generated throughout a product’s (or a service’s) life cycle (from the extraction of natural resources to disposal) in terms of the amount of CO2 emitted. By allowing companies to advertise their efforts to combat global warming directly to consumers through labels on their products, this system is expected to encourage companies to further their efforts to reduce CO2 emissions, while helping consumers recognize the amount of CO2 they generate.

2. In the globalized economy, in which products and services are distributed internationally, international standards on the carbon footprint system are being developed in order to prevent it from obstructing free trade and create a fair competitive environment. The standards will involve the method of calculating greenhouse gas emissions, the ways to display the calculated emissions, and a mechanism for verification.

3. METI set up the Study Group for Developing and Promoting the Carbon Footprint System in June 2008 and the Study Group on Rules on the Calculation, Labeling and Evaluation of CO2 Emissions in July. Discussions are already in progress in these study groups on the desirable carbon footprint system for Japan and challenges for this system, with guidelines to be formulated by the end of FY 2008. About 30 participants in the Study Group for Developing and Promoting the Carbon Footprint System plan to show prototypes at Eco-Products 2008 in December 2008. In FY 2009, trial implementation will start, including the sale of trial products at stores.

ISO-related schedule
- Around October 2008
Closing date of the ballot on the NWIP concerning the international standardization of the carbon footprint system
If the NWIP is approved, the ISO will start work for international standards development and make necessary arrangements, including the establishment of an organization for discussion.

- Mid-January 2009
ISO/TC 207/SC 7 meeting in Malaysia

- By March 2011
Issuance of international standards

Release Date

July 31, 2008

Division in Charge

Standardization Office for Management System, Conformity Assessment Division, Industrial Science and Technology Policy and Environment Bureau
 

• Page top

• Back Issues

• Statistics
• White Papers & Reports
• Press Releases
• METI related Laws