Japan’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Rose on Increase in Coal Power

(Bloomberg) — Japan’s greenhouse gas emissions rose 1.2
percent in fiscal 2013 amid an increase in consumption of coal
for power generation, the Ministry of the Environment said
Tuesday in a report.

Emissions of carbon dioxide rose 9.9 percent in the
commercial sector, which includes office buildings, hotels and
stores, as their consumption of electricity and oil products
increased, according to the ministry. Other sectors such as
industries, transport and residential saw their CO2 emissions
drop. Carbon dioxide accounts for more than 90 percent of
greenhouse gases.

Greenhouse gas emissions totaled 1,408 million tons in
fiscal 2013, the highest level since a record 1,412 million tons
in fiscal 2007, the ministry said, revising preliminary figures
announced in December.

Japan’s emission cut target is a 3.8 percent reduction by
2020 from 2005 levels. Emissions in fiscal 2013 were 10.8
percent higher compared with 1990 levels and 0.8 percent higher
than 2005 levels, the ministry said.

The year 1990 was established as the year from which to
measure reductions in emissions under the Kyoto Protocol, the
only international treaty limiting greenhouse gases.

To contact the reporter on this story:
Chisaki Watanabe in Tokyo at
cwatanabe5@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story:
Reed Landberg at
landberg@bloomberg.net
Iain Wilson, Keith Gosman

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