GHG Mitigation in Japan

This research paper by the World Resources Institute analyzes Japan's revised 2020 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction target, known as the "Warsaw Target," in the context of the post-Fukushima energy policy shift. The paper evaluates the target's ambition compared to previous pledges, the current policy landscape, and the likelihood of achieving the goal through electricity-saving efforts and existing mitigation policies.

• In November 2013 at COP19 in Warsaw, Japan established a revised 2020 GHG emissions reduction target of 3.8 percent from 2005 levels, which replaced a previous 2009 pledge to reduce emissions by 25 percent from 1990 levels.
• The Warsaw Target represents a decrease in ambition compared to the Copenhagen Pledge, particularly when excluding the emissions avoidance previously expected from nuclear power. The target's ambition level is described as being similar to the pre-Copenhagen Mid-Term Target of 2009, which pledged a 9 percent domestic reduction by 2020 from 1990 levels.
• Japan has introduced several post-Fukushima policy measures to support mitigation, including a global-warming tax, a feed-in tariff scheme for renewable electricity, and improvements to household thermal insulation. However, the government has not provided expected CO2 emissions reductions for most of these measures, partly due to the absence of a policy implementation plan for the 2020 target.
• The Japanese government is promoting high-efficiency coal-fired power plants both domestically and internationally. The paper notes that these plants remain highly CO2-intensive in absolute terms compared to other fossil-fired technologies, and the government has not explained how this promotion aligns with the global 2°C target or Japan's own 2050 mitigation goal.
• Japan is likely to achieve the Warsaw Target provided that the enhanced electricity-saving efforts initiated after the Fukushima nuclear disaster continue, and assuming modest economic growth rates as estimated by the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). GHG Mitigation in Japan. https://www.wri.org/research/ghg-mitigation-japan

Chicago

World Resources Institute. GHG Mitigation in Japan. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/ghg-mitigation-japan.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=GHG Mitigation in Japan |url=https://www.wri.org/research/ghg-mitigation-japan |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendghg, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{GHG Mitigation in Japan}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/ghg-mitigation-japan}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }