(Bloomberg) — Japan may consider introducing national-emissions trading as part of a set of measures it intends to put
together by early next year to tackle climate change.
The government will compile the climate change plan to
fulfill its pledge to reduce emissions by 26 percent by 2030
from 2013 levels, according to a statement issued Tuesday. The
pledge was made earlier this year to the United Nations.
Two government panels — one set up by the Ministry of
Economy, Trade and Industry and another by the Ministry of the
Environment — will discuss the plan’s details, according to the
A preliminary draft, released Tuesday, proposed Japan
should promote efforts to bring about a “green economy” and
financially support actions to cut emissions.
It also commits to “carefully consider” national-emissions
trading, while closely examining any possible burden placed on
domestic industries and employment at the same time as it takes
account of trends in emissions trading overseas.
One trade ministry panel member said he opposes including
national-emissions trading in the government plan.
“At this point, there is little reason to position national
emissions trading as an effective candidate,” Taishi Sugiyama, a
senior researcher for the Central Research Institute of Electric
Power Industry, said in a statement. “We should rather give more
consideration about how to bring about innovation,” he said.
Japan has previously considered a nationwide emissions-trading system. The plan was put on hold in December 2010 after
the government said it decided to closely examine the impact on
businesses and the effectiveness of other climate-change
measures, according to a document posted on the environment
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Iain Wilson, Abhay Singh