Japan Seeks to Cut Emissions by 46% by 2030 vs 2013; Will Count Existing Carbon Credits: ‘Pledge’ Update (1)

–Weird that Russia and China military ships surround Japan as I write this

BY MATHEW CARR

Oct. 24, 2021 (LONDON): Japan’s climate ‘pledge’ — technically a nationally determined contribution to the Paris climate deal — is a single-year target, a similar style to the USA.

Annoyingly, Japan does not seem to be even using a calendar year for its target. The final year of its target seems to be the 12 months through March 31, 2031 — its fiscal year. I will ask about this and revert — It may make sense for Japan, and the Paris climate deal allows for national flexibility.

Single-year targets are much easier to hit than a carbon budget, which is better for the climate because it limits emissions every year – they are adopted by the European Union and the U.K.

On top of the 46% cut: “Furthermore, Japan will continue strenuous efforts in its challenge to meet the lofty goal of cutting its emission by 50 percent (by 2030) from its fiscal year 2013 levels.”

Here is the section in Japan’s update on use of Article 6 of Paris, which includes international carbon markets:

Japan will establish and implement the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) in order to
quantitatively evaluate contributions of Japan to greenhouse gas emission reductions and
removals which are achieved through the diffusion of, among others, leading decarbonizing
technologies, products, systems, services, and infrastructures as well as through the
implementation of measures in developing countries and others, and in order to use such
contributions to achieve Japan’s NDC. By doing so, through public-private collaborations, Japan
aims to secure accumulated emission reductions and removals at the level of approximately 100
million t-CO2 by fiscal year 2030. Japan will appropriately count the acquired credits to achieve
its NDC.
With regards to the JCM which Japan has initiated to establish, Japan secures environmental
integrity and the avoidance of double-counting in line with the international rules including the
Paris Agreement. Also, based on its experience in the JCM, Japan intends to lead international
discussions, thereby contributing to the development of appropriate international rules for the use
of market mechanisms.
Furthermore, Japan will also make proactive efforts in the area of international cooperation to
promote decarbonization and to improve resilience in developing countries and others, including
from developing policies and institutional platforms to promoting sector- and city-level efforts as
well as facilitating technology diffusion.

See this snip:

https://www4.unfccc.int/sites/ndcstaging/PublishedDocuments/Japan%20First/JAPAN_FIRST%20NDC%20(UPDATED%20SUBMISSION).pdf
Photo by Tomu00e1u0161 Malu00edk on Pexels.com

Story on the USA’s weak single-year target for 2030; it seems to be weak weak weak:

http://carrzee.org/2021/06/01/u-s-s-weak-new-2030-emissions-target-shows-americans-have-nothing-to-fear-from-the-paris-climate-deal/

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