Japan’s emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) from burning fuel rose 4.4 percent in the year that ended in March from the previous year to 1.122 billion tonnes, the trade ministry said Friday, as a recovery in the economy and an unusually hot summer boosted the use of energy.
It was the first annual rise since 2007/08, when emissions climbed 2.8 percent to a record 1.218 billion tonnes. The environment ministry is expected to announce preliminary 2010/11 data for of total greenhouse gas emissions based on Friday’s data in the coming weeks.
The March 11 earthquake and tsunami had only a minor impact on the year’s CO2 emissions. But radiation leaks from the Fukushima nuclear power plant wrecked in the disaster cast a shadow over emission cut plans, which relied heavily on nuclear power, analysts said.
Japan’s greenhouse gas emissions, including CO2, in the past three years roughly achieved its goal under the Kyoto Protocol when CO2 offsets are included, said a trade ministry official in charge of energy supply and demand.
“But it is uncertain if we can achieve the Kyoto Protocol goal in the remaining two years given the nuclear issue. Also, it is not yet clear how strong the economic recovery will be,” the official said.
Japan, the world’s fifth-biggest emitter, is overhauling its energy policies after the Fukushima crisis shattered public confidence in nuclear power, with safety fears preventing reactors shut for maintenance checks from being restarted. Imports of costly and polluting oil and gas have soared.
Japan pledged in the Kyoto Protocol to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 6 percent to 1.186 billion tonnes a year on average over the five years to March 2013 from 1990/91 levels.
CO2 from burning fuel usually accounts for about 90 percent of Japan’s greenhouse gas emissions, so overall 2010/2011 emissions based on Friday’s preliminary CO2 data would be about 1.247 billion tonnes.
CO2 from chemical reactions and other processes accounts for about 5 percent of Japan’s emissions and the remainder is made up of other greenhouse gases, such as hydrofluorocarbons used in refrigerators and air conditioners.
The estimated total, combined with greenhouse gas emissions of 1.281 billion tonnes in 2008/09 and d 1.209 billion tonnes in 2009/10, mean Japan’s emissions averaged some 1.246 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year in the first three years of the Kyoto Protocol.
Japan’s plans to meet the minus 6 percent goal include some 48 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent a year of emissions offsets from planting trees, as well as U.N. carbon credits bought from abroad by the government and companies.
At least 400 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent of Kyoto carbon offsets have been bought by the government and companies for delivery between 2008 and 2012.
