Speeches by the Environment Minister
Statement by KOIZUMI Shinjiro, Minister of the Environment, Japan, at the 5th Session of the Ministerial on Climate Action (MoCA) (March 23, 2021)
Thank you, Chair. A paradigm shift towards decarbonization and a circular economy.
This is key to both mitigation and adaptation in our green recovery or redesign.
Today, let me introduce three areas of focus in Japan for achieving such socio-economic transformation.
(Global Warming Countermeasures, new legislation on plastics)
First, our climate neutrality pledge.
Despite the challenge of the coronavirus pandemic, the Prime
Minister SUGA declared climate neutrality by 2050 last October.
We wrote this commitment in a revision bill of the Climate
Change law to ensure legal basis, credibility and policy continuity.
Another bill on recycling plastics is also under deliberation in
the current Diet session.
This is to promote sustainable product design, and reduce plastic waste.
(Partnerships with non-state actors)
The second focus area is partnerships.
This month, the Ministry of the Environment and the Keidanren, the largest business federation in Japan, launched the "Circular Economy Partnership."
This public-private partnership will foster green growth.
It aims to boost competition by encouraging businesses to
adopt circular business models and resource efficiency.
Local governments are also important actors.
Last week, we held the "Zero Carbon City International
Forum" with the UNFCCC Secretariat.
It was our expression of support for initiatives by zero carbon
cities across the world.
In this forum, Kuala Lumpur newly pledged decarbonization
by 2050.
Tokyo's support of the city's decarbonization policy
formulation played a role in that pledge.
This is a first case of city-to-city collaboration leading to what
we call "decarbonization dominos", where one commitment to
decarbonization leads to another.
(The success of COP26)
Finally, our commitment to COP26.
We will do our part to make COP26 a success.
This is critically important in the global path to
decarbonization.
Japan is currently making utmost efforts to set an ambitious
2030 target in our NDC.
It will be in consideration of the latest science anded
with our net zero 2050 goal.
Let's work together to redesign our societies and to ensure
the success of COP26.
Thank you, Arigatou.
This is key to both mitigation and adaptation in our green recovery or redesign.
Today, let me introduce three areas of focus in Japan for achieving such socio-economic transformation.
(Global Warming Countermeasures, new legislation on plastics)
First, our climate neutrality pledge.
Despite the challenge of the coronavirus pandemic, the Prime
Minister SUGA declared climate neutrality by 2050 last October.
We wrote this commitment in a revision bill of the Climate
Change law to ensure legal basis, credibility and policy continuity.
Another bill on recycling plastics is also under deliberation in
the current Diet session.
This is to promote sustainable product design, and reduce plastic waste.
(Partnerships with non-state actors)
The second focus area is partnerships.
This month, the Ministry of the Environment and the Keidanren, the largest business federation in Japan, launched the "Circular Economy Partnership."
This public-private partnership will foster green growth.
It aims to boost competition by encouraging businesses to
adopt circular business models and resource efficiency.
Local governments are also important actors.
Last week, we held the "Zero Carbon City International
Forum" with the UNFCCC Secretariat.
It was our expression of support for initiatives by zero carbon
cities across the world.
In this forum, Kuala Lumpur newly pledged decarbonization
by 2050.
Tokyo's support of the city's decarbonization policy
formulation played a role in that pledge.
This is a first case of city-to-city collaboration leading to what
we call "decarbonization dominos", where one commitment to
decarbonization leads to another.
(The success of COP26)
Finally, our commitment to COP26.
We will do our part to make COP26 a success.
This is critically important in the global path to
decarbonization.
Japan is currently making utmost efforts to set an ambitious
2030 target in our NDC.
It will be in consideration of the latest science anded
with our net zero 2050 goal.
Let's work together to redesign our societies and to ensure
the success of COP26.
Thank you, Arigatou.