In November 2013 at the 19th Conference of the Parties (COP19) to the UNFCCC in Warsaw, Japan announced a revised 2020 GHG emissions reduction target of 3.8 per cent from 2005 levels. This “Warsaw Target” replaced an earlier 25 per cent reduction from 1990 levels pledged in 2009 at COP15 in Copenhagen. The Warsaw Target is still tentative and will be revised following further review of the energy policy and energy mix.
This working paper surveys Japan’s mitigation policy landscape and sets out to answer three questions:
How does the ambition level of Japan’s Warsaw Target compare with its Copenhagen Pledge and earlier 2020 mitigation targets?
How can recent policy developments in Japan help it to meet its emissions reduction targets?
Can Japan achieve its Warsaw Target within its existing policy landscape?
The paper is part of a series that provides an overview of the current policy landscape that particular countries have pursued in the interest of GHG mitigation.