I. Title of the Best Practice

II. Overview of the Best Practice

A. Features of "Let's Try Ecolife -Declaration by a Million People-" and "Four Challenges to Prevent Global Warming"

1. Background
The Environment Agency of Japan (EAJ) is promoting two awareness-raising campaigns with the aim of encouraging voluntary actions to prevent global warming. One is Let's Try Ecolife - Declaration by a Million People" which encourages citizens to make a pledge to make a personal effort to prevent global warming. The other is "Four Challenges to Prevent Global Warming" which targets not only citizens but also ministries, local governments and NGOs.

2. Contents of the practice
(1) "Let's try Ecolife - Declaration by a Million People"
"Let's try Ecolife" is a campaign that citizens declare to carry out practices to prevent global warming in daily life. Participants are to choose the practices from 13 options and notify the EAJ of their pledge by telephone, fax, email or post. Examples of practices include setting air conditioning at above 28 degree Celsius in summer and below 20 in winter, walking or riding bicycles for nearby shopping and taking public transportation to go out on holidays, purchasing "Eco Mark" (Japan's official eco-label) products and others. The latest information on the number of participants and their geographical distribution is reported on the Internet.
The number of pledges reached one million in October 1998 and rose to 1,055,800 in January 2000. It is calculated that CO2 emission reductions would be 44,284 t (metric tons carbon equivalent) per year, if all participants carried out their pledges, equivalent to 6.9 million liters of gasoline or 6.92 billion-yen in savings.

(2) "Four Challenges to Prevent Global Warming"
Under this campaign four challenges are voluntarily undertaken at homes and offices. The EAJ appeals not only to individuals but also to government ministries, local governments and citizen organizations to participate.
Challenge 1: Keeping an environmental account book to monitor CO2 emissions in daily life. Challenge 2: Promoting voluntary activities to reduce the environmental burden, and giving recognition for excellent achievement. Challenge 3: Walking ten thousand steps a day and not relying on cars too much. Challenge 4: Refraining from allowing car engines to idle while parked or stopped.

B. Reasons for Inclusion as a Best Practice

• It is a challenging and emerging approach to promote autonomous actions.
• It can contribute to the formation of future policies to prevent global warming.
• It can be evaluated quantitatively/or qualitatively.
• It is appropriate for application in, or technical transfers to, developing countries.
• It is promoted through cooperation between actors.
• It has actually been effective in reducing GHGs.
• It is a cost-effective approach.

III. Categorizing the Best Practice

1. Classification(s)
( ) Regulatory Approach (Policy approaches-regulations, incentives, etc.)
( X ) Practical Action (Action undertaken independently by a social actor)
( ) Social Network Mechanism (Cooperative structure)

2. Social Actor(s) Involved
( X ) Citizens
( X ) Central government
( X ) Local government
( X ) Business

3. Sector(s)
( ) Energy
( X ) Residential
( ) Industrial
( X ) Transportation
( X ) Commerce
( ) Agriculture/Land Use/ Forestry
( ) Others ( )

4. Target Greenhouse Gas(es)
( X ) CO2
( X ) CH4
( X ) N2O
( X ) HFC
( X ) PFC
( X ) SF6
( ) Other ( )

IV. List of Attachments

Omitted

V. Please indicate a person to contact for more information about this Best Practice.

Organization:	Global Environment Department, Environmental Agency of Japan
Tel:	+81-3-3581-3351
Fax:	+81-3-3581-4815
Address:	1-2-2, Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-4801, Japan
Note:	N/A