2015-4-14

Japan's National Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Fiscal Year 2013 (Final Figures)

     The Ministry of the Environment and the National Institute for Environmental Studies have released Japan’s National Greenhouse Gas Emissions (final figures1) in fiscal year (FY) 2013.
     Total emissions in FY20132 (final figures) were 1,408 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (Mt CO2 eq.), a 1.2% increase compared to those of FY2012; a 0.8% increase compared to FY2005; and a 10.8% increase compared to FY1990.
 

     On the basis of Article 4 and 12, and the relevant decisions of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (hereinafter, referred to as “Convention”) developed country parties, including Japan, are required to prepare national greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories and submit them to the secretariat of the Convention. Moreover, Article 7 of the Act on Promotion of Global Warming Countermeasures, which which provides for domestic measures under the Convention, requires the Government of Japan to annually estimate and make public Japan’s GHG emissions and removals.

     In accordance with the above articles, GHG emissions in FY 2013 were estimated.

     Japan’s total greenhouse gas emissions in FY2013 (final figures1) were 1,408 Mt CO2 eq. This is an increase of 1.2% (17 Mt CO2 eq.) when compared to FY2012 emissions (1,390 Mt CO2 eq.), due to the increased energy-origin CO2 emissions, caused by the increased coal consumption in thermal power generation and the increased consumption of electricity or petroleum products in the commercial and other sector.

     When compared to FY2005 emissions (1,397 Mt CO2 eq.) the emissions increased by 0.8% (11 Mt CO2 eq.), due to the rise in hydrofluorocarbon emissions from refrigerants following their substitution in place of ozone-depleting substances and the increased energy-origin CO2 emissions caused by the increased fossil fuel consumption accompanying the increase of thermal power generation.

     Removals by forest and other carbon sinks3 under the Kyoto Protocol in FY 2013 were 61 Mt CO2 eq.(consisting of 52 Mt. CO2 eq. by forest carbon sinks measures, and 9 Mt. CO2 eq. by cropland management, grazing land management, and urban revegetation.).

1 “Final figures” means the figures officially submitted to the secretariat of the Convention as Japan’s GHG emissions and removals in a national GHG inventory. The final figures compiled at this time will be revised when annual values in statistical data are updated, and/or estimation methods are revised.

2 Total emissions in FY2013:
There are some discrepancies between the final figures reported this time and the preliminary figures in FY2013 which were released in December 4, 2014, because, in accordance with the reporting guidelines for GHG inventories in emissions and removals under the Convention, some of the estimating methods were revised for a more accurate estimation, and recalculation was conducted based on various statistical annual data made available after the estimation of preliminary figures in FY2013.

3 Removals by forest and other carbon sinks:
The emissions and removals by forest and other carbon sinks under the Kyoto Protocol were estimated and reported in accordance with the decision of the 8th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol.

Attached File

April 14th, 2015

Ministry of the Environment
Government of Japan

Greenhouse Gas Inventory Office of Japan
National Institute for Environmental Studies