International Environment Reporter: Current Reports Index-Summary

JAPAN

– Air quality, tolerance standards to limit fine particulates proposed, 513; ministry sets standards, 884
– Biodiversity protection, guidelines issued for business, planned for banking sector, 796
– Carbon sequestration

– – Coal gasification, government to export technology, 569
– – Safety and environmental protection, government to draft guidelines, 197

– Chemicals, children's health study, In Brief, 932
– Climate change

– – Carbon dioxide, government to propose standardized global method to measure emissions, 106
– – Clean coal technology, cooperation with Japan to continue, 204
– – Commuting certification program, In Brief, 572
– – Consultations with U.S. sought, 106
– – Currency transaction tax, solidarity levy considered to fund mitigation efforts, 62
– – Emissions reduction target set at 15 percent below 2005 levels by 2020, 568; ruling coalition calls for steeper 2050 goal of 80 percent of 2005 levels, 662; opposition party manifesto calls for tougher cuts, 712; ministry unveils plan to reduce emissions 80 percent by 2050, 755; newly elected Democratic Party likely to strengthen stance, 796; Hatoyama repeats pledge for 25 percent reduction by 2020, 847

– Contracts for green projects in U.S., China, In Brief, 933
– Emissions trading

– – Applicants for participation, In Brief, 35; program off to slow start with 77 participants, 332
– – Emissions credit purchases, tax exemption, In Brief, 666
– – Opposition party manifesto supports system, 712
– – Tax credits, companies transferring credits to government account may be eligible, 240
– – Tokyo exchange trading, In Brief, 984
– – Ukraine credits, government negotiating purchase, 241; proceeds to pay for environmental projects, 295

– Energy efficiency

– – Appliances, Eco Point program rewards buyers, 376
– – Fiscal incentives, supplementary budget includes for consumer purchases, 514
– – Industry creation, In Brief, 286
– – Tokyo offers incentives to small firms, In Brief, 64

– Energy transmission, smart-grid

– – Opposition party manifesto supports development, 712
– – Pilot project, In Brief, 572

– Environmental cooperation pact with China, South Korea, In Brief, 572
– Green society, government aims to use environmental initiatives to create jobs, 105; minister outlines “green new deal,” 376
– Infrastructure development, government launches $5B lending facility, 285
– International Renewable Energy Agency participation unlikely, In Brief, 64; Japan joins agency, 627
– Kyoto Protocol

– – Developed nations, proposal redefines term, 518
– – Emissions reductions, policy panel releases alternative plans in preparation of Dec. summit, 196
– – Post-2012 agreements, new proposal includes information sharing scheme, 145

– Landfills, ministry toughens standards in response to court rulings, 241
– Military facilties, proposal requires U.S. to clean up environmental contamination, 885
– Motor vehicles

– – Commercial vehicles, government proposes tax relief, subsidies for environmentally friendly vehicles, 416
– – Consumer purchases, supplementary budget includes fiscal incentives, 511
– – Diesel emissions, government proposes tougher standards for off-road vehicles, 847
– – Electric cars

– – – Battery development initiative, In Brief, 379
– – – Nissan seeks U.S. loan, In Brief, 148

– – Hydrogen fueling stations, In Brief, 759
– – Tokyo urges fleet owners to replace vehicles with low-emission models, 105

– Nanotechnology, ministry issues risk management guidelines, 241
– Outlook 2009, SplRpt (1/7/09) S–49
– Ozone depletion, CFC disposal increases by 15 percent in fiscal 2008, ministry says, 662
– Plastics, government launches reprocessing project, 416
– Ports, Tokyo encourages ships to use shore power, 62
– REACH implementation, attorneys discuss during webinar, 990
– Recycling

– – Home appliances, statistics, In Brief, 516
– – National policy under consideration, 416

– Remediation, parliament amends soil contamination law to close loopholes, 456
– Renewable energy

– – Generation, panel recommends steps to double production by 2020, 145
– – Private home generation, parliament approves doubling price utilities pay, 661

– Solar energy

– – Batteries, initiative to increase industry share in global market, 286
– – Purchase from households, businesses, government considers doubling price utilities pay, 192

– Taxation, currency transaction tax, solidarity levy considered to fund climate change mitigation efforts, 62
– Tires, noise standards, In Brief, 848
– Wind energy, generating capacity growth slows for second consecutive year, report says, 661