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2021-4-16

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

The Ministry of the Environment and the National Institute for Environmental Studies have released Japan’s National Greenhouse Gas Emissions (final figures1) for fiscal year (FY) 2019. Total greenhouse gas emissions2 in FY2019 were 1,212 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (Mt CO2 eq.), down 2.9% compared to FY2018 (reflecting a 14.0% decrease compared to FY2013 and a 12.3% 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.
 

Under Articles 4 and 12 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (hereinafter, the Convention) and relevant decisions adopted by the Conference of the Parties, the Annex I parties including Japan (i.e., developed countries) 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 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 these Articles, Japan’s GHG emissions in FY2019 were estimated.

Japan’s total greenhouse gas emissions in FY2019 were 1,212 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (Mt CO2 eq.).

This reflects a decrease of 2.9% (36 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 (1,408 Mt CO2 eq.). The two main factors for the decrease in emissions in FY2019 as compared to FY2013 are the reduced energy consumption (due to 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 12.3% (170 Mt CO2 eq.) compared to the FY2005 emissions (1,381 Mt CO2 eq.). The main factor for the decrease in emissions in FY2019 as compared to FY2005 is the reduced energy consumption (due to improved energy conservation etc.).

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

Removals by forest and other carbon sinks from activities under the Kyoto Protocol3 in FY2019 were 45.9 Mt CO2 eq., consisting of 42.9 Mt CO2 eq. by forest carbon sinks and 3.0 Mt CO2 eq. by the promotion of activities on cropland management, grazing land management, and urban revegetation.

Footnote

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

2. There are some differences between the final figures compiled this time and the preliminary figures released on December 8, 2020, due to recalculations conducted based on annual statistical data made available after the preliminary estimation, and further revision of estimation methods. The preliminary figures for GHG emissions in FY2019 were 1,213 million tonnes, showing a 2.7% decrease compared to FY2018 (a 14.0% decrease and a 12.2% decrease when compared to FY2013 and FY2005, respectively).

3. The removals by forest and other carbon sinks reported this time were estimated by calculating emissions/removals from activities under the Kyoto Protocol, in accordance with the decision of the 8th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol.

Attached File

April 13, 2021

Ministry of the Environment
Government of Japan

Greenhouse Gas Inventory Office of Japan
National Institute for Environmental Studies

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