Greenhouse gas emissions in Japan down 6.4% in FY 2008+

TOKYO, April 15 Kyodo - Greenhouse gas emissions in Japan in fiscal 2008 dropped 6.4 percent from the year before to 1.28 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, reflecting a decline in energy consumption in domestic industries amid the economic downturn, the Environment Ministry said Thursday.

The amount for the year to March 2009 is the first below 1.3 billion since
1995, when the ministry started including alternatives to chlorofluorocarbons
and some other substances in its emissions data.
But emissions still remained 1.6 percent above the level for fiscal 1990, the
base year set by the Kyoto Protocol for emissions cuts.
Carbon dioxide emissions caused by the use of fossil fuels dropped in all
categories -- 10.4 percent at factories and plants, 4.9 percent at households,
4.1 percent in transportation activities and 3.3 percent at business offices.
Warm winter temperatures played a part in the decreased emissions at households
and offices, where less kerosene and electricity for heating were used compared
with the previous year, according to the ministry.
Under the 1997 protocol, Japan is required to curb greenhouse gas emissions by
6 percent on average between fiscal 2008 and 2012 compared to 1990 levels.
==Kyodo