Research in October 2007. It reviews what is necessary to cope with the long-term impacts of global warming on national life between 2020-2030, identifies the impact of global warming on Japan and the developing countries in the future, assesses our vulnerability, and examines the direction of research needed to promote adaptation measures.

In their related council or committee meetings, the Cabinet Office, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism are reviewing adaptation measures designed for office works and operations under their jurisdiction, including water resources management, and disaster prevention, as well as public works and projects related to rivers, sea coast, ports and harbors, and agriculture, forestry, and fisheries.

# Public Sector’s Initiative to Control Greenhouse Gas Emissions

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As an actor of economic activity, the position that the government holds in the national economy is very large, and it is very important that they take the initiative to control greenhouse gas emissions related to government operations.

Each ministry has developed policies related to specific measures to be executed in order to control the emission of greenhouse gases, and is implementing measures such as purchasing goods and services, including low-emissions vehicles, and thorough energy conservation efforts for buildings. For FY 2006, the total greenhouse gas emissions from government operations were about 1.71 million tons, which represents a 14.4% reduction in emissions from the FY 2001 level, exceeding the target of 7% reduction. For example, during FY 2006 the Ministry of the Environment implemented measures such as attaching reflective plates to the fluorescent lights in the Ministry offices to reduce electricity consumption by regulating the illumination, as well as implementing a 8 p.m. lights out policy and energy-saving operation guidelines for air-conditioners and heaters in regional environmental offices. These measures resulted in a 9.7% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in FY 2006 over FY 2001.

In addition, to promote green contracting (environmentally considerate contracts) to reduce environmental impact as much as possible when purchasing goods and services, the Green Contract Law (Law concerning the Promotion of Contracts Considering Reduction of Greenhouse Gases and Others Emissions by the State and Other Entities.) was enacted in November 2007. This law has created a system of comprehensive evaluation that includes environmental concerns in addition to costs in order to contract with suppliers of superior goods and services when the public sector (national and local governments, independent administrative institutions, etc.) purchases electricity, automobiles or buildings. It also extended the duration of national subsidies for ESCO project contracts to 10 years. The proactive involvement of the public sector, including at the national level, in green contracting coupled with the Green Purchasing Law enacted in FY 2001 has not only reduced the environmental impact from the public sector but is also expected to encourage suppliers to provide products with less environmental impact products and to change the entire economy and society to be more environmentally considerate.

# Drastic Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Mid-to-long Term

## 1 Status on Efforts to Create a Low Carbon Society

To achieve the ultimate objective of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which is “stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system,” we must balance carbon dioxide emissions with carbon dioxide absorption.

Currently, the world’s carbon dioxide emissions are over double the volume that can be absorbed by nature (Figure 3-2-1). In view of the fact that the concentrations