Part 2: Current Issues in Environmental Conservation and Formation of a Sound Material-Cycle Society, and Government Measures thereon

The following chapters from the White Paper on the Environment and the Sound Material-Cycle Society 2007 explain the current status of our efforts to establish environmentally sound resource cycles and the policy measures implemented during FY2006 for environmental conservation and the formation of a sound material-cycle society.
Chapter 1. Conservation of the Earth's Environment
Chapter 2. Conservation of the Atmospheric Environment
Chapter 3. Conservation of the Water, Soil, and Ground Environments
Chapter 4. Measures and Policies on the Material Circulation, including Waste and Recycling Measures
Chapter 5. Measures and Policies on the Assessment and Control of Environmental Risk of Chemical Substances.
Chapter 6. Conservation of the Natural Environment and Promoting Contact with Nature
Chapter 7. Basis of Various Measures, and Measures Facilitating the Participation of Various Actors and International Cooperation

### 1. Conservation of the Earth’s Environment

## (1) Global warming

Along with the expansion of human activities, massive, growing amounts of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane are emitted into the atmosphere. In recent years, the greenhouse effect intensified by such increased emissions is threatening to cause excessive global warming.

According to the Working Group I contribution to the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), the global average surface temperature increased $ 0.74^{\circ} $ C $ [0.56^{\circ} $ C to 0.92 C] $ (1906 to 2005), and the total 20th-century global average sea level rise is estimated to be 17 $ [12 to 22] $ cm.

The report states that, “Warming of the climate system is unequivocal.” and “Most of the observed increase in global average temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentration.”

Based on multiple emission scenarios, with certain assumptions on worldwide economic growth, population, technological innovation, economic/energy structures and some other trends, the Report also makes estimates, that the projected average global

Table 5-1: Impacts of Global Warming Observed in Recent Years

Indicator	Observed changes
Global average surface temperature	• 100-year linear trend (1906 to 2005) of $ 0.74^{\circ}\mathrm{C} $ • The linear warming trend over the last 50 years is nearly twice that for the last 100 years.• Eleven of the last twelve years (1995-2006) rank among the 12 warmest years in the instrumental record of global surface temperature (since 1850)• Average arctic temperatures increased at almost twice the global average rate in the past 100 years.
Global mean sea level	• The total 20th-century rise is estimated to be 0.17m.• The rate is about 3.1mm/year over 1993 to 2003
Hot days/heat waves	More frequent
Cold night/frost	Less frequent
Heavy precipitation events	More frequent
Drought	More intense and longer droughts have been observed over wider areas since the 1970s, particularly in the tropics and subtropics
Glaciers and snow cover	Mountain glaciers and snow cover have declined on average in both hemispheres.

Source: Compiled by the Ministry of the Environment based on the report of Working Group I of the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report.

Figure 5-1-1: Annual Surface Temperature Anomalies in Japan

Note 1: The data is based on monthly mean temperatures data in Abashiri, Nemuro, Suttsu, Yamagata, Ishinomaki, Fushiki (Takaoka City), Nagano, Mito, Iida, Choshi, Sakai, Hamada, Hikone, Miyazaki, Tadotsu, Naze and Ishigakijima

Note 2: An anomaly is deviation from normal (1971-2000 average of the 17 stations).