EBC Newsletter – December 1, 2022

• Businesses will be required to pay for their CO2 emissions, the government announced on Nov. 29 as it presented details for a carbon pricing system, which combines a surcharge and emissions trading plan.
  During a meeting of the GX (Green Transformation) Implementation Council, which discusses initiatives to achieve decarbonization, members approved the industry ministry’s idea for the carbon pricing system. (The Asahi Shimbun)
• The government has concluded that nuclear power generation is necessary to achieve a stable electricity supply and a decarbonized society in the long term, according to a draft of the nation’s new nuclear policy.
  The current policy states that Japan “will reduce its dependence on nuclear power as much as possible.” That policy has shifted according to the draft presented by the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry on Monday. (The Japan News)
• The Environment Ministry is considering creating a system to grant reward points to owners of electrified vehicles for the amount of carbon dioxide emissions they reduce by using them.
  The ministry hopes that the system will give vehicle owners an incentive to switch to electrified models and improve the fuel efficiency of their vehicles through careful driving, officials said. (The Japan News)
• The agriculture ministry has devised a mechanism for calculating how much farmers have reduced their emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, compared with conventional cultivation methods, as they seek to go greener.
  The ministry is conducting a demonstration and test of its method to rate emissions cuts on a scale of one to three stars, to make progress in decarbonization efforts more visible, as it aims to help boost environmental awareness among farmers and consumers alike. (The Japan Times)

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