2020-12-8

Japan’s National Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Fiscal Year 2019 (Preliminary Figures)

The Ministry of the Environment and the National Institute for Environmental Studies have released Japan’s National Greenhouse Gas Emissions (preliminary figures) for fiscal year (FY) 2019.
Total greenhouse gas emissions in FY2019 were 1,213 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (Mt CO2 eq.), down 2.7% compared to FY2018 (reflecting a 14.0% decrease compared to FY2013 and a 12.2% decrease compared to FY2005).
The two main factors for the decrease in emissions as compared to FY2018 are the reduced energy consumption (reduced production in manufacturing industries etc.) and the decrease in CO2 emissions from electricity production due to the wider use of low-carbon electricity (wider adoption of renewable energy).

Note: Japan’s fiscal year runs from April 1 to March 31.
 

Japan’s total greenhouse gas emissions in FY2019 were 1,213 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (Mt CO2 eq.).

This reflects a decrease of 2.7% (34 Mt CO2 eq.) compared to FY2018 emissions (1,247 Mt CO2 eq.). The two main factors for the decrease in emissions in FY2019 as compared to FY2018 are the reduced energy consumption (reduced production in manufacturing industries etc.) and the decrease in CO2 emissions from electricity production due to the wider use of low-carbon electricity (wider adoption of renewable energy).

This also shows a decrease of 14.0% (197 Mt CO2 eq.) compared to FY2013 emissions (1,410 Mt CO2 eq.). The two main factors for the decrease in emissions in FY2019 as compared to FY2013 are the reduced energy consumption (from improved energy conservation etc.) and the decrease in CO2 emissions from electricity production due to the wider use of low-carbon electricity (wider adoption of renewable energy, resumption of nuclear power plant operations).

Furthermore, this indicates a decrease of 12.2% (169 Mt CO2 eq.) compared to FY2005 emissions (1,382 Mt CO2 eq.). The main factor for the decrease in emissions in FY2019 as compared to FY2005 is the reduced energy consumption (from improved energy conservation etc.).

In contrast, hydrofluorocarbon emissions from refrigerants that substitute ozone-depleting substances are increasing every year.

* These preliminary figures for FY2019 were estimated based on annual figures in various statistics. Some annual figures from FY2018 were temporarily used in place of FY2019 figures that have yet to be released. Moreover, some estimation methodologies are currently being reconsidered in order to make more accurate estimations of emissions for the final figures. As such, the final figures to be released in April 2021 may differ from the preliminary figures in this summary. Carbon removals by forests and other carbon sinks will also be estimated and announced at the time of the release of the final figures.

Attached File

December 8, 2020

Ministry of the Environment
Government of Japan

Greenhouse Gas Inventory Office of Japan
National Institute for Environmental Studies