Japan and the Kyoto protocol : pespectives from power generation.

• Main Authors: Kuan, Xiu Ling., Yip, Wan Wei., Yap, Chein Ning.
• Other Authors: Chang Youngho
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: DRNTU::Social sciences::Economic development::Japan; DRNTU::Social sciences::Geography::Environmental sciences
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/15106
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Being the host country for the Kyoto Protocol, Japan faces intense public pressure to attain the stipulated target. With that, Japanese government invested billions of dollars each year on various environmental-related projects like Japan Carbon Finance (JCF), Japan Voluntary Emissions Trading Scheme (JVETS), promotion of renewable energy and the energy efficiency improvement measures. However, Japan is still currently the fourth largest standing country for the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG). Its emissions have increased by 6.2 percent from the 1990 base year, presenting a gap of 12.2 percent compared to the country's emission reduction target. The purpose of our graduation paper is to investigate the causes of Japan in exceeding the Kyoto Protocol target, and to make recommendations to the problem. Our study shows power generation sector is the main cause for Japan to exceed the target. We recommended a series of demand and supply-side instruments for the industrial sector (based on our regression results) which makes up a large part of Japan’s energy consumption. The recommended instruments to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) are namely Environmental Taxes, Mandatory National Emissions Trading Scheme (MNETS) and promotion of renewable supplies using Feed-in Tariff (FiT) and Renewable Obligation (RO). The findings and recommendations will be relevant to environmental economists for their work in related topics. The regression results and research on new policies and instruments can be used to provide them with insights to the direction Japan can head in mitigating its future emissions.