Development and Implementation of Climate Change Plans (NAMA, INDC and NAP) in the context of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) promoted developing countries to take actions for mitigation of climate change, for which developed countries conventionally have taken the initiative. “Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs)” were considered in the Bali Action Plan adopted in 2007 and the Cancun Agreements of 2010 stipulated that NAMAs should be implemented in a measurable, reportable and verifiable manner until 2020. The Paris Agreement adopted at the COP21 (Paris) in 2015 provided that “Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC)” will be implemented as an effort to be made between 2020 and 2030, constituting a central part of the legally binding Agreement. Furthermore, in the area of the adaptation to climate change, each country is expected to develop and implement a “National Adaptation Plan.” OECC has taken proactive steps to cooperate in the development of plans in developing countries, referring to methods for development and implementation of climate change plans and monitoring of the plans in Japan and other countries, while bearing the history of the climate change negotiations under UNFCCC in mind. For example, in Cambodia, Vietnam, Mongolia and Laos, OECC provided support to the development of NAMAs in renewable energy, wastes, power generation, and transportation and traffic, as part of capacity-building projects commissioned by the Ministry of the Environment, Japan. Moreover, in Vietnam, we are conducting the evaluation of low carbon technologies to […]

Diffusion of Decarbonizing/Low Carbon Technologies through the JCM Project Development OECC has implemented the diffusion of leading decarbonizing/low carbon technologies through the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM), which contributes to realizing sustainable development pathways in developing countries. The Government of Japan has established and implemented the JCM with 17 partner countries in Asia, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa. As part of the Japanese Government programme, OECC has supported project development in countries such as Viet Nam, Mongolia, Thailand, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Chile. OECC has been successful in materializing mitigation actions for the Financial Support Scheme for JCM Model Projects under the Ministry of the Environment, Japan (MOEJ) as well as for the Japan Fund for the JCM (JFJCM) by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The following projects were selected by the scheme owners. Selected Year Partner Country Representative Participants Project Title Expected GHG Reductions (tCO2/year) 2019 Philippines ITOCHU Corporation Biogas Power Generation and Fuel Conversion Project in Pineapple Canneries 52,156 2019 Mongolia Saisan Co.,Ltd. Fuel Conversion by Introduction of LPG Boilers to Beverage Factory 5,781 2018 Myanmar Global Engineering Co., Ltd. Introduction of 8.8MW Power Generation System by Waste Heat Recovery for Cement Plant 19,241 2018 Mongolia Ministry of Energy, Mongolia(ADB JFJCM) Upscaling Renewable Energy Sector Project 6,423 2017 Mongolia Sharp Corporation Introduction of 20MW Solar Power System in Darkhan City 22,927 2017 Indonesia Tokyo Century Corporation Introduction of Absorption Chiller to Chemical Factory 1,084 2017 Philippines Tokyo Century Corporation Installation of 1.2MW Rooftop Solar Power […]

International finances and scheme for developing countries support in efforts to climate actions In the UNFCCC, in order to support the implementation of the Convention, the Financial Mechanism has been established. For example, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) is providing support for preparation of national reports and for capacity building. COP16 (Cancun) decided to establish the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and is expected to support mitigation and adaptation efforts. Also, the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) established as part of the UNFCCC technology mechanisms, helps to carry out the technology transfer for climate change mitigation and adaptation. In addition, international financial institutions such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), are funding to development projects, which contribute to mitigation and adaptation of climate change in their regular course of development finance operations.   Taking advantage of climate change finance and various international schemes and OECC To promote climate actions in developing countries, OECC carries out cooperation with governments and other partners. With request of developing country governments, OECC provides technical assistance on climate change planning such as NAMA and INDC, utilizing international finance and schemes on climate change. Also, OECC plays a catalytic role in combining such public support with private sector finance, which can provide more options for low-carbon technologies and management know-hows. For example, by extending our efforts of the JCM project finding projects in Mongolia, OECC participated in the feasibility study by the Asian Development Bank. In addition, OECC has been registered as […]

Negotiation at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) OECC has continuously dispatched experts to the Japanese government delegation to participate in the Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). OECC experts mainly cover issues of capacity-building, mitigation, and adaptation of climate change. For the negotiations of the Paris agreement in COP21, some of them play the role of the chief negotiator of the issue for the Government of Japan.   Organizing a confidence-building forum for climate change negotiators In the climate change negotiations in the UNFCCC, various decisions have been made and countries will be required to respond to them. For example, in the Paris agreement, parties are expected to develop and implement a plan for , “Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC)” , while countries (especially developing countries) have faced many issues that must be considered and undertaken from now on. Under the initiative of the Ministry of the Environment, Japan and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), OECC has served as the secretariat of the “Asia-Pacific Seminar on Climate Change”, and supported efforts to share information and knowledge, and learn from experiences mutually on climate change negotiation agenda, which enhance regional confidence-building.   Japan Pavilion management at COP Tens of thousands of negotiators, researchers and NGO representatives gathers at the UNFCCC’s COP. Not only negotiations, but side events, seminars and panel discussion and exhibit of research results have taken place. The Government of Japan holds the “Japan […]

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Overcoming a variety of development issues together with achieving greenhouse gas emission reductions, the co-benefits approach is considered to be one of the promising measures in developing countries. OECC, through commissioned works from the Ministry of the Environment, has been promoting the co-benefits approach and implementing policy research and proposals, and technical assistance to reduce emissions of air pollutants such as the greenhouse gases at the same time in China and Mongolia. Policy proposals and technology introduction in China Economic growth is remarkable in China, although urban environmental pollution such as air pollution and water pollution is a serious issue. There has been urgent requirement climate change mitigation in the 13th Five-Year Plan to be implemented from 2016 to 2020, in continuation from the 12th Five-Year Plan of 2011 to 2015, emission reductions of unit GDP carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) of -18%, -15%, -15% from the 2015 level has been set respectively. As an effort to contribute to these solutions, support for policy dialogue between the Ministry of the Environment, Japan and the the Ministry of Environmental Protection, China , joint policy research with the China Research Center for Environmental Economics (PRCEE) and training for local government officials were conducted by OECC. In addition, with the cooperation of Japanese engineers, OECC has also proposing environmental management techniques and technology to promote a co-benefits approach. Introduction to high-efficiency boilers for heating in Mongolia Mongolia is a country, which heavily depends on coal and in the […]

Joint Research on Dust and Sand Storms (DSS) among China, Korea and Japan Dust and Sand Storms (DSS) has been recognized as a cross-boundary issue to be solved in North-East Asian countries , namely Mongolia, China, Korea, and Japan. It has caused economic and social impacts, including health, while the scientific mechanism has not been clear completely, and it requires partnership and cooperation among countries. To this end, OECC supports a joint study for DSS under framework of the Tripartite Environmental Ministers Meeting (TEMM) by China, Republic of Korea, and Japan. The joint research includes investigation of scientific mechanism, impacts, as well as vegetation management of DSS sources etc., and these have been conducted with particpation by leading scientists in these countries. TEMM DSS Online Portal As part of MOEJ’s information dissemination efforts, OECC had been commissioned also to manage DSS Observation Data Page as below. “DSS LIDAR”, the image character of MOEJ Real-time DSS Information   Air Pollution in East Asia Air pollution continues to be a serious problem in China, caused by Sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emitted from fossil fuel combustion. In addition to that, rapid increase of PM2.5 oriented from automobile exhaust gas has had a big impact on health and sometimes caused asthma. To tackle these issues in China and Mongolia, OECC has provided support not only on technology transfer but also on sharing lessons learned from Japan’s long time effort to overcome air pollution. We have many stocks of lessons learned varied […]

Global Trends in Chemical Substance Management and OECC’s Activities In 2002, the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) was held in Johannesburg and the summit adopted the WSSD goal, “aiming to achieve, by 2020, that chemicals are used and produced in ways that lead to the minimization of significant adverse effects on human health and the environment”. Also adopted was the UNEP’s “the Strategic Approach on International Chemical Management (SAICM),” which aims to realize the WSSD goal. Many countries, both the developed and developing, have been promoting activities to achieve the goal. The global trends in chemical substance management have shifted from hazard-based approach to risk-based approach, where not only the hazardous properties but also exposure risks are considered, as can be seen in Japanese CSCL: the Chemical Substance Control Law and EU REACH regulation. As another global trend in chemical substance management, the concept of lifecycle management has been introduced, which aims to manage the risks of chemical substances’ adverse effect to health and environment throughout the lifecycle stages of manufacturing, consumption, use, supplying chain, waste treatment, etc.. In these global trends, each nation implement measures to achieve the WSSD goal by enforcing laws and regulations in chemical substance management as deemed appropriate by each nation. OECC holds seminars to share the latest trends on international chemical substance management by inviting overseas administrative officers as guest speakers. OECC also publishes the latest information on chemical management laws and regulations abroad, to assist timely response to the changing global trend […]