I. Title of the Best Practice

II. Overview of the Best Practice

A. Features of Partnerships between companies and communities
1. Background
Companies are implementing practices to promote environmental conservation in the local community by cooperating with various social actors. The following are initiatives dealing with global warming through partnerships between companies and communities.

2. Examples of the practice
(1) Kansai Electric Power Company: One-hundred thousand people Eco-Family Movement:
This activity, which has been implemented since fiscal year 1998, enables the company to tackle global warming in cooperation with its staff, their families and the local community as members of society.
The staff and their families undertake environment-friendly initiatives in their daily lives (e.g. turning off power while not watching TV, reducing use of the family car and instead using public transportation). They have also joined a Green Purchasing initiative since fiscal year 1999.

(2) Hokuriku Electric Power Company: Toyama Used Paper Recycling Circle/ Hokuriku Region Used Office Paper Recycling Movement:
A group of companies from within the region have established a local closed system for recycling used paper, which covers the process from recycling to purchasing. Companies which are members of the group purchase and use recycled paper made from office paper that was used within the region.
Besides businesses, various actors, such as local governments (in the role of purchaser and consumer) and educational institutions, are voluntarily taking the lead in promoting this initiative.. In 1998, 280 actual members and about 60,000 persons participated in the initiative, recovering 2,100 tonnes of used paper. Compared to incineration of this paper, the initiative is estimated to have reduced CO2 emissions by 3,260 tonnes (carbon equivalent).

(3) Sumitomo Forestry Co.: "Forests for learning" initiative: Forest conservation and environmental education by ongoing volunteer tree-planting programme
This programme involves ongoing tree-planting by volunteers on the 90-hectare national forest near Mt. Fuji. It aims to restore the mixed-species forests damaged where trees were blown down by the wind.
The Mt.. Fuji "Forest for learning" Planning Council consists of 17 members including personnel from related agencies of Shizuoka Prefecture and Fujinomiya City, nature conservation organizations, voluntary organizations, mass media, academics and the head of the Shizuoka Forest Management Center, and gives opinions and advice for project planning and implementation. Sumitomo Forestry finances the costs of tree-planting and implements the project together with citizens. Ownership of trees is given to the national government.

B. Reasons for Inclusion as a Best Practice

• It is driven by partnerships between social actors.
• It is a challenging and emerging approach.
• It is useful for consideration by social actors other than G8 countries implementing domestic initiatives in developed countries.

C. Problems and their Solutions

• Eco-Family Movement: Since the programme is an awareness-raising it is difficult to assess the impact quantitatively and obtaining remarkable effect. It aims to increase participants by continuing constant activities.
• Used Paper Recycling Circle: When the recycling system was established, the secretariat solved problems through consultation with stakeholders and reached agreement with all the participants. Although collection of used paper was done for free at the beginning, a drop in used paper prices meant that the system could not continue without charging a fee, and fee-collection started in 1997. At that time, a review committee on costs consisting of offices, paper collection companies and wholesale merchants of used paper, was established within the group and coordinated their interests.
• Forests for Learning Programme: Afforestation and environmental education in national forests involving volunteers done in cooperation with the national government, local governments, citizens and companies had no precedent. However, the programme became feasible after obtaining the approval of related administrative organizations.

III. Categorizing the Best Practice

1. Classification(s)
( ) Regulatory Approach (Policy approaches-regulations, incentives, etc.)
( ) Practical Action (Action undertaken independently by a social actor)
( X ) 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
( ) Transportation
( ) Commerce
( X ) Agriculture/Land Use/ Forestry
( X ) Others ( )

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

IV. List of Attachments

Omitted

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

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