2. Let's Try Ecolife-- Declaration by a million people-- and Four Challenges to Prevent Global Warming ----- Detail
The Environment Agency of Japan promotes two awareness-raising campaigns. The first campaign collects pledges registered by individuals to carry out activities in their daily lives to prevent global warming. The second campaign promotes voluntary actions, not only by citizens but also by central ministries, local governments and NGOs. Its four challenges include (1) keeping an environmental account book to monitor CO2 emissions in daily life, (2) promoting voluntary activities to reduce the environmental burden and giving recognition for excellent achievement, (3) walking ten thousand steps a day and reducing reliance on cars, and (4) reducing car engine idling time.

3. Promotion of further improvement of energy efficiency of cars, homes and office appliances through the introduction of "Top Runner Approach" ----- Detail
MITI has introduced the Top Runner Approach for fuel consumption standards of cars and energy efficiency standards of electric appliances. The Top Runner Approach sets energy standards for each type of product equal to, or more stringent than, the level of the best available technologies on the market. Examples of progressive technological development by commercial enterprises promoted by the law include low emission vehicles, large-scale energy saving reactors, cooling technology, and waste power generation technology.

4. Enhancement of conditions for promoting bicycle use in model cities ----- Detail
The Government invited proposals and designated 19 model cities (5 cities in fiscal 1997 and 14 in fiscal 1998), where traveling and parking spaces for bicycles were improved comprehensively. These efforts encourage conversion from automobile travel to bicycle use by making use of the efficiency of bicycles for short-distance travel, and promote the alleviation of traffic congestion and limitation of CO2 emissions.

5. ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems) ----- Detail
Because about 11 percent of automobile fuel consumed in Japan is wasted due to traffic congestion, alleviation of this congestion will help reduce CO2 emissions. ITS aims to reduce traffic congestion and ensure efficient road transportation by using the latest information and communication technologies. The Ministry of Construction is promoting ITS in cooperation with other sectors and through improvements in the information and communications infrastructure, to be near completion at the beginning of the 21st century.

6. Reduction of GHG Emissions from Agriculture and Stockbreeding Sectors ----- Detail
At present, in agricultural and stockbreeding sectors, research is being conducted for the purpose of reducing GHG emissions and implementing measures on a practical level. The following are examples: (1) research on reducing the amount of fertilizer used by improving efficiency of fertilizer, water management, and treatment of organic matter; and (2) research into methods to reduce methane emissions from enteric fermentation of livestock, and improvement of facilities to reduce methane emissions from livestock manure treatment.

7. Establishment of artificial forests and carbon storage in wood materials ----- Detail
MAFF tackles global warming by maintaining artificial forests in a way that permits "sustainable use" and contributing to carbon storage through using wood material from those forests for wooden structures. It promotes planting, appropriate forest management, and awareness-raising and technological development to expand wood utilization.

8. Eco Up Office Plan in Tokyo ----- Detail
Eco Up Office Plan in Tokyo supports two types of offices' voluntary activities to reduce the burden on the environment. Offices either assess their environmental burden and register the measures they take and their quantitative objectives in reducing CO2 emissions (type 1), or register three or more emissions-reducing measures they pledge to take (type 2). Participants receive registration certificates and stickers and their names and measures are posted on the Internet.

9. Publication of "Initiatives in Kanagawa to Prevent Global Warming
-- 100 Practical Examples" ----- Detail
This guidebook provides each group of social actors with practical examples to prevent global warming and was created for the purposes of (1) teaching the general public what they can do to prevent global warming and (2) promoting their voluntary actions. It was co-edited by Kanagawa Prefecture and Kanagawa Global Environment Conservation Promotion Committee, a committee established for the purpose of promoting cooperative practices by the general public, enterprises and local government.

10. Green Purchasing in Shiga Prefecture ----- Detail
When Shiga Prefecture purchases products, it gives consideration to products that have a lighter load on the environment. A list of recommended environmentally-friendly products showing the product name, number and manufacturer is prepared and distributed by the local government and revised monthly.

11. "One Percent Energy Saving Plus One Movement" in Kawagoe City ----- Detail
The "One Percent Energy Saving Plus One Movement" and related measures include (1) a reduction in energy use by local governments, (2) the promotion of environmental study, information dissemination and education, (3) financial assistance for the installation of residential photovoltaic power generation systems, (4) support for the installation of photovoltaic power generation systems and other renewable energy systems for public facilities, and (5) subsidies for planting hedges around houses.

12. Promotion of Rainwater Utilization in Sumida Ward ----- Detail
Rainwater utilization has been promoted in Sumida Ward with the purpose of securing the city's water resources and improving the hydrological cycle. Sumida Ward has introduced rainwater storage facilities at public places such as the ward office and schools, studied measures to promote rainwater utilization at private facilities, supported the installation of "Rojison" rain water utilization equipment in communities, and established networks among local governments, citizens groups and commercial enterprises.

13. Promotion of Transportation Demand Management (TDM) in Kawasaki City ----- Detail
Transportation Demand Management (TDM) in Kawasaki City is a model project solving environmental problems caused by vehicle traffic, involving the cooperation of local government, commercial enterprises and their employees. Kawasaki has undertaken detailed studies on the status of commuter traffic and freight transportation in order to establish and test a system of TDM which is effective and easy to implement.

14. Initiatives to Prevent Global Warming by the KIKO Network ----- Detail
The KIKO Network is a nationwide network of citizens and environmental NGOs interested in the prevention of global warming and climate change. The Network collects and disseminates information, surveys actions taken by local authorities and commercial enterprises to solve global warming, organizes symposiums and working group sessions by NGOs, and coordinates voluntary activities.

15. Voluntary Plans by Industrial Organizations ----- Detail
Voluntary Action Plans on the Environment developed by industrial organizations include efforts such as the complete elimination of CFCs from processes used in manufacturing industries and the introduction of refrigerants which do not use GHGs. An example of such a plan is the "Keidanren Voluntary Action Plan on the Environment", which sets clear targets regarding environmental measures for all industry levels and conducts yearly follow-up surveys, enhancing accountability.

16. Partnerships between companies and communities ----- Detail
Examples of companies working in partnership with the community to prevent global warming include (1) the Eco-Family Movement, in which company staff and their families implement ecological actions in their daily lives; (2) a paper recycling movement in which companies recycle used office paper in a closed local system from collection of used paper to processing and purchasing; and (3) an ongoing tree-planting program by volunteers financed by a company, under the direction of a planning committee which consists of local governments, citizens and NGOs.

17. Rethinking lifestyle through "RENGO Ecolife 21" ----- Detail
The Japanese Trade Union Confederation (RENGO) has implemented "RENGO Ecolife 21" since the establishment of its Environmental Committee in January 1998. This is a movement in which people are encouraged to try to establish ecological lifestyles, starting with union members and reaching to every citizen. The movement starts with "Step 1" for undertaking environment-friendly initiatives by union members in their offices and at their work places, and "Step 2" in which union members and their families take initiatives at home. "Step 3" involves preparing to expand into a national movement through establishment of "National Citizens' Conference on the Environment" (tentative name).