Results of Examination and Assessment of the Commitment to a Low-Carbon Society Compiled (FY2019 Performance)

1. Background

The Keidanren and the industrial associations of 115 industries have been formulating the Commitment to a Low-Carbon Society as a voluntary effort for reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. The Plan for Global Warming Countermeasures, on which a Cabinet Decision was made on May 13, 2016, positions the Commitment to a Low-Carbon Society as an effort that plays a central role in measures that the business community should take, and stipulates that these commitments should be strictly and regularly examined and assessed by a related council. In accordance with this policy, METI inaugurated seven industry-based working groups (hereinafter referred to as the "Industry-based WGs") under the Global Environment Subcommittee of the Committee on Industrial Science and Technology Policy and Environment under the Industrial Structure Council, while the MOE inaugurated an Expert Committee on Follow-ups of the Commitment to a Low-Carbon Society (hereinafter referred to as the "Expert Committee") of the Study Group on Global Environment under the Central Environment Council. Both are initiatives aimed at improving the transparency of and trust in efforts by industrial associations. Since their inauguration, these bodies have been examining and assessing the relevant commitments conducted by the industries over which METI or MOE has jurisdiction every fiscal year. The results of follow-ups by the Industry-based WGs and the Expert Committee have been reported to a Joint Meeting of the Global Environment Subcommittee of the Committee on Industrial Science and Technology Policy and Environment under the Industrial Structure Council and the Expert Committee on Follow-ups of the Commitment to a Low-Carbon Society of the Study Group on Global Environment under the Central Environment Council (hereinafter referred to as the "Joint Meeting"), and METI and MOE have been organizing the results of the examination and assessment, and compiling information on future challenges and other issues concerning the Commitment to a Low-Carbon Society.

2. Results of the examination and assessment, overview of future challenges, and other issues

In FY2020, the Industry-based WGs and the Expert Committee examined and assessed the Commitment to a Low-Carbon Society, which was compiled based on the FY2019 performance of industries. Following this, the Joint Meeting studied the Commitment by examining the related documents from March 9 to 12, 2021, and compiled the results of the examination and assessment, and information on future challenges and other issues.

• Examination and assessment of the FY2020 Commitment to a Low-Carbon Society, and future challenges and other issues involving the commitment (materials of the Joint Meeting) (in Japanese) (PDF:440KB)

(1) 2020 and 2030 goals for reducing CO₂ emissions from companies' activities in Japan

The results reveal that of the 44 industries over which METI and MOE have jurisdiction, 35 have achieved their 2020 goals and 17 have already achieved their 2030 goals. This shows that these industries have been steadily progressing with their efforts ahead of schedule.

41 industries for METI + 3 industries for MOE	2020 goals	2030 goals
FY2019 performance has exceeded the level of the goals	35 industries	17 industries
FY2019 performance has not reached the level of the goals, but emissions have been reduced compared to the base year or a business as usual (BAU)* baseline	5 industries	23 industries
FY2019 performance has not reached the level of the goals, since CO2 emissions have increased compared to the base year or a BAU baseline	2 industries	2 industries
Data has yet to be aggregated.	2 industries	2 industries

(2) Contributions to other sectors, contributions to other countries, and development and introduction of innovative technologies

The current situation regarding efforts by the 44 industries over which METI and MOE have jurisdiction is as follows. The industrial associations that have already made a list of their efforts and quantified the amount of CO₂ that they have reduced improved the details of their lists or quantifications. Example improvements included increasing the number of items listed and refining the calculation methods for the quantifications.

41 industries for METI + 3 industries for MOE	Number of industries that have made a list of their efforts	Number of industries that have made a list of their efforts and also quantified the amount of CO2 that they have reduced
Contributed to other sectors regarding reducing CO2	42 industries	28 industries
Contributed to other countries regarding reducing CO2	26 industries	15 industries
Developed and introduced innovative technologies	32 industries	6 industries

(3) Future challenges and other issues

Future challenges and other issues concerning the Commitment to a Low-Carbon Society were organized as below on the basis of document-based deliberations.
 

Assessing the achievement of the 2020 goals

Although 35 industries achieved their targets before FY2020, the impact of COVID-19 is also expected to vary depending on the industry and goal indicators. Consequently, while assessing the achievement of the 2020 goals is in principle done based on actual results, assessment excluding the impact of COVID-19 will also be considered.

Verifying the 2030 goals

In October 2020, Prime Minister Suga declared that Japan will aim to become carbon neutral by 2050. In addition, in April this year, he announced that it would aim to reduce greenhouse gases by 46% from the FY2013 levels, and continue on toward reducing them by 50%. It is therefore expected that each industry will set ambitious targets for FY2030.
The government will continue to ascertain obstacles to achieving the goals through discussions by the WGs, and will continue to follow up toward FY2030 in order to improve the likelihood of achieving them.
At the same time, an effective follow-up will be considered taking into account the degree of contribution the industrial sector has made to the government's 2030 goals.

Contributing to other sectors and countries

Industries should contribute to reducing CO2 emissions throughout value chains by (e.g.) disseminating products, services and other technologies with outstanding environmental performance inside and outside Japan. This will also contribute to achieving the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C goal.
They are expected to communicate information on their contributions to reducing emissions to investors and other stakeholders, while taking into consideration international trends in disclosure of information on industries' environmental efforts; and thereby gain recognition from the international community for Japanese companies' contributions and strengths.

Communicating more information

Case examples of good practice in reducing emissions, achievements, approaches thereto, and other efforts will be made into promotional material for the industries involved at home and abroad. Through this, more information will be communicated, which will contribute to reducing emissions worldwide.

3. Creating the collection of example efforts

The collection was created with the aim of further deepening and enhancing the Commitment to a Low-Carbon Society by sharing initiatives that can serve as a role model for other industries.

The collection contains 15 initiatives, separated into the following three categories: appeal through websites, presenting long-term visions, and sharing and utilizing information within the industry. The initiatives have been published as examples that can be expected to promote initiatives toward the Commitment to a Low-Carbon Society.

• Collection of Example Efforts for the Commitment to a Low-Carbon Society (in Japanese) (PDF:4,298KB)

Division in Charge

Environmental Economy Office, Industrial Science and Technology Policy and Environment Bureau