Urgent Message from KANBUNonthe Government Council Proposal for the formulation ofthe Long-Term Strategy under the Paris Agreement
April 2019
Konoe FUJIMURA, Representative
Saburo KATO, Advisor
KANBUN, Certified NPO in Japan
1. On April 2, 2019, a proposal regarding the Long-Term Strategy under the Paris Agreement
as Growth Strategy was submitted to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. It was compiled by agovernment council which was composed of under the direction of Prime Minister Abe whostated, at the 17th meeting of the Council on Investment for the Future on 4 June 2018,“Measures against global warming are no longer a cost for companies. They are a sourceof competitiveness. Companies that actively fight against environmental crises attract
funds from all around the world, enabling them to prepare for the next phase of their
growth and take further measures.“2. The proposal of 27 pages long provides the latest review on the trend of climate change
issues, possible viewpoints and important elements to be considered in formulating theLong-Term Strategy, as well as desirable measures and policies of cross-sectoral issues.
Among others, it expresses their basic recognition of the seriousness of climate change
issues, stating that the abnormal weather phenomena all over the world derives fromhuman activities expanding beyond the planetary boundary. It also refers to the IPCC’sspecial report “Global Warming of 1.5 °C” compiled last October. To respond to the urgent
situation depicted by IPCC’s special report on 1.5 °C, such phrases as “discontinuousinnovation”, “ambitious vision”, and “address the issue with a sense of speed” arerepeatedly appeared here and there in the proposal.
3. However, the proposal is just perfunctory, showing no concrete policy measures to tackle
with serious global warming although such existing technological concepts as“hydrogen-based society”, “CCS”, “CCU”, “artificial photosynthesis” and “methanation”
are referred to throughout the document.

4. The Abe Administration is targeting 80% GHG emission reduction by 2050, but theproposal is not clearly explains the roadmap to that goal. As regards the carbon pricing
which many experts consider vital to achieve the goal, it only says carbon pricing ”includes
not only pricing GHGs through the market but creating a new taxation system (alreadypartially introduced), and their impacts, valuation and implementation challenges
depends on each system. Technical discussion is needed by experts based on theinternational trends and domestic situations as well as on possible impacts on Japaneseindustries’ competitiveness in international markets.” There, the long discussion among
Japanese experts for the last quarter-century was totally neglected! It does not even referto the fact that the carbon pricing has been introduced in major countries of the world
producing good effects in reducing GHGs. In short, the proposal remains thebusiness-as-usual attitude, a big gap from the wording of the proposal (“discontinuousinnovation” or “ambitious vision”).
5. The proposal does not refer to the following important points raised in the IPCC’s special
report “Global Warming of 1.5 °C”.
i) Global warming is likely to reach 1.5°C as early as 2030 if it continues to increase at thecurrent rate.
ii) In model pathways with no or limited overshoot of 1.5°C, global net anthropogenic CO2emissions decline by about 45% from 2010 levels by 2030
iii) In 1.5°C pathways with no or limited overshoot, renewables are projected to supply 70–
85% of electricity in 2050 …. while the use of coal …would be reduced to close to 0% ofelectricity.
iv) In 1.5°C pathways with no or limited overshoot, unprecedented level of implementation
actions are required, such as emission reduction in all sectors through introduction ofvarious possible technologies (including carbon dioxide removal), rapid and extensivechanges of infrastructures, industrial systems and human behaviors/lifestyle, andincreased investments to low-carbon options.
6. Furthermore, the proposal does not say anything about the participation of citizens. Toachieve such massive reforms, not only the business sector but also individual citizens’
recognition and active support/action are indispensable.
7. The persistent innovation that the IPCC report is requesting would not be achieved only
through introduction of such new technologies as “hydrogen-based society”, “CCS”, “CCU”,“artificial photosynthesis” and “methanation”. What is really requested there is the“unprecedented” full-fledged changes of modern civilization on a greater scale we havenever seen before. The report provides extensive views of building a new civilization
toward decarbonized society, changing industrial structure and economic system,
reviewing energy and social systems, and even transformation of values. However, fromthis proposal of the government council, we cannot feel any strong spirit to urge

formulation of new strategies for future generations. It just says, “the ultimate goal is tochange economic system and lifestyle in view of the future in and after the latter half of
this century.”
8. We, KANBUN, consider that business-led innovation relying solely on economic methods
or technologies is not at all sufficient in achieving the target. To realize the “decarbonizedsociety” requested by the Paris Agreement, mobilizing all possible human powers isinevitable with all sectors (business, citizens, NPOs and researchers) participated in theefforts of changing their values as well as social institutions, and introducing any measureconceivable in addition to technical innovations. The proposal compiled by the council on
2 April totally lacks the above viewpoint. Therefore, we strongly request that thegovernment reflect our suggestions in the above in the Long-Term Strategy to be
formulated by this coming June.