Global warming in Japan

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The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) proposes two hypothetical future scenarios. One is Scenario "A1B" based on the assumption that a future world will have more global economic growth (the concentration of carbon dioxide will be 720ppm in 2100). The other is Scenario "B1" based on the assumption that a future world will have global green economy (the concentration of carbon dioxide will be 550ppm in 2100).

According to the Earth Simulator calculation, the daily mean temperature of summer in Japan during the period of 2071 to 2100 increased by 3.0°C in Scenario B1 and 4.2°C in A1B compared to that of 1971 to 2000. Similarly, the daily maximum temperature in Japan increased by 3.1°C in B1 and 4.4°C in A1B. The precipitation in summer in Japan increased steadily due to global warming (the annual average precipitation increased by 17% in Scenario B1 and by 19% in Scenario A1B during the period of 2071 to 2100 compared to that of 1971 to 2000). ^[1]

Today Japan is one of the world's leaders in the development of new climate-friendly technologies. Honda and Toyota hybrid electric vehicles were named to have the highest fuel economy and lowest emissions.^[2] This is due to the advanced technology in hybrid systems, biofuels, use of lighter weight material and better engineering.

Japan also takes issues surrounding climate change and global warming seriously. As a signatory of the Kyoto Protocol, and host of the 1997 conference which created it, Japan is under treaty obligations to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions and to take other steps related to curbing climate change. The Cool Biz campaign introduced under former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi was targeted at reducing energy use through the reduction of air conditioning use in government offices.

[edit] Tokyo

Japan's capital Tokyo is preparing to force industry to make big cuts in greenhouse gases, taking the lead in a country struggling to meet its Kyoto Protocol obligations. Tokyo's outspoken governor, Shintaro Ishihara, decided to go it alone and create Japan's first emissions cap system, reducing greenhouse gas emission by a total of 25 percent by 2020 from the 2000 level. ^[3]