MOE Provides Six Million Yen to Businesses Seeking Carbon Neutral Certification

The Ministry of the Environment (MOE) started accepting applications for model projects on August 27, 2013, to support businesses striving to obtain carbon neutral certification. This effort aims to raise public awareness about the carbon-offset system, and effectively promote suitable carbon neutral initiatives.

This carbon neutral certification requires that the business achieves zero net carbon emissions or in other words, becomes carbon neutral by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from its business activities, and offsetting the unavoidable GHG emissions by purchasing carbon credits equivalent GHG emissions.

This project is designed for businesses (private companies, private corporations, NPOs, and local governments) aiming to obtain the certification by February 14, 2014. The MOE will provide each qualified applicant with an operating-cost subsidy of up to 6,000,000 yen (about US$61,200).