Japan's Ministry of the Environment announced on May 1, 2008, that the national government's green purchasing policy resulted in a reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by an estimated 89,500 tons in fiscal 2006. The reduction, equivalent to the household CO2 emissions of 42,000 persons, is based on a review of the government's environmental load reduction as a result of its green procurement practices.

Based on the Green Procurement Law, the government and related entities set their own reduction targets and have promoted the purchase of eco-friendly products and services since fiscal 2003. In fiscal 2006, they achieved a very high level of green purchasing of 95 percent or more for 147 out of 156 designated procurement items, such as energy saving office automation equipment, stationery goods, and home electric appliances. Moreover, the number of solar power systems installed has doubled, and all official general-use vehicles were replaced with low emission ones.

The market share of eco-friendly products has also been expanding. For example, fluorescent lighting fixtures accounted for 57.4 percent of sales in fiscal 2006 compared to 22.4 percent in fiscal 2000. As for paper products, the organizations are re-examining the role of green purchasing due to the recycled-paper falsification scandal, in which some Japanese paper manufacturers sold recycled paper products containing smaller amounts of used paper than claimed.

The ministry expects that the promotion of green purchasing, led by national and local governments, can boost the demand for eco-friendly products and that this will have huge effects on the market nation-wide.

http://www.env.go.jp/en/laws/policy/green/index.html
- Green Purchasing by Government Reduces Environmental Impact (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/db/280-e
- Green Procurement by Local Governments Surveyed (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/db/521-e
- Green Purchasing by Government Cut CO2 by 45,000 Tons in 2003 (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/db/1030-e
- 27.8% of Local Governments in Japan Have Green Purchasing Programs (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/db/1391-e
- Green Purchasing by Government Cuts CO2 by 42,000 Tons (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/db/1440-e

Posted: 2008/09/05 06:13:35 PM

TAG Global warming , Government , System/Law