Companies, local governments, NGOs and other leaders worldwide have a vital role to play in delivering on the goals of the Paris Agreement by fostering climate action around the world.
Since the publication of the special report on Global Warming of 1.5 ° C by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), it has become a universal goal to realize a decarbonized society by 2050, and the roles that non-state actors such as companies and local governments play has become further important.
In July 2018, over 100 Japanese companies, local governments, research institutions and NGOs established the Japan Climate Initiative (JCI) and the members increased to more than 6 times as of today. JCI is a network committed to strengthening communication and exchange of strategies and solutions among all actors that are implementing climate actions in Japan.
We, the members of the Japan Climate Initiative, invite Japanese companies, municipalities, research institutions and civil society organizations that are making serious efforts towards the realization of a decarbonized society to participate in the initiative and help build a decarbonized Japanese society. As a partner coalition of the Alliances for Climate Action, JCI will collaborate with other domestic multi-stakeholder coalitions to accelerate the transition towards decarbonized and climate resilient societies around the world.
Contact:Japan Climate Initiative Secretariat
info(a)japanclimate.org Please replace (a) with @ when sending an email.
“Alliances for Climate Action” (ACAs) aims to build and strengthen domestic constituencies for climate action – companies, local and state governments, academic institutions, civil society organizations and others - committed to working with each other and with national governments to accelerate their nationally-determined processes of transformation towards low-carbon and climate-resilient societies. ACAs is being jointly advanced by seven international organizations - C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, CDP, Climate Action Network, Fundación AVINA, The Climate Group, the We Mean Business Coalition and WWF – together with leading partners at the national level.
We, as non-state actors such as companies and local governments, pledge to stand at the forefront of global challenges in order to realize the decarbonized society envisioned by the Paris Agreement.
The Paris Agreement is an epoch-making international agreement which was the first to set the goal of net zero emission of greenhouse gases. Whether this goal will be achieved or not will affect the survival of human beings. At the same time, the transition to a decarbonized society agreed under the Paris Agreement will generate new opportunities for growth and development. Also, these efforts in support of decarbonization share the same aims as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), in its 1.5℃ Special Report released in October 2018, revealed that we need to limit the average temperature rise to less than 1.5℃, not well below 2℃ to avoid a serious climate crisis, and to reach that goal, we must halve global carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and reduce them to net-zero by 2050.
As the 1.5℃ target spreads around the world, the Japanese government also declared in October 2020 that it would aim to reach carbon neutral by 2050. In addition, in April 2021, the government announced that it would aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 46% by fiscal 2030 and pursue a further challenge of a 50% reduction.
We believe that Japan can and should play a greater role in the world in realizing a decarbonized society primarily through promotion of energy efficiency and expansion of renewable energy. The Japanese government needs to make policy changes that enable it to halve emissions by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. In particular, to raise its 2030 renewable energy target to 40-50% and prompt phase out of coal-fired power generation will be necessary to achieve the targets. We are firmly convinced that expanding and accelerating efforts toward a decarbonized society and setting an example for international society will bring significant benefits to Japan itself.
In order to realize the goal of the Paris Agreement, Japanese non-state actors are making efforts to play active roles in pursing more ambitious goals than the official commitment of the Japanese government. Many Japanese companies have already committed to "SBT" (Science Based Targets) and RE100. Local governments with a combined population of more than 100 million people have declared net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, set even more ambitious 2030 targets, and are introducing pioneering policies to achieve them.
We will enhance our efforts that contribute to realizing net-zero by 2050 to demonstrate global leadership in achieving the 1.5℃ target through increasing energy efficiency, accelerating use of renewable energy in our own activities, and deepen collaborations among domestic and international non-state actors.
We will serve as a bridge between Japan and the world in the effort to overcome the crisis of climate change.
- What is Japan Climate Initiative?
- It is a network of various non-state actors such as companies, local governments, organizations and NGOs actively engaged in climate action. In the United States, companies, state and municipal governments and other organizations established a coalition called “We Are Still In.” Signatories are committed to support climate action to meet the Paris Agreement. Inspired by this domestic movement in the United States, efforts to establish domestic coalitions comprised of companies, local and subnational governments, academic institutions, civil society organizations and others in support of decisive implementation of the Paris Agreement are getting underway in other countries as well. Japan Climate Initiative will collaborate with these international movements.
- Who can join the initiative?
- Companies, financial institutions, local governments, research institutes, NGOs and other organizations which agree with the Founding Declaration and are implementing concrete climate actions can join the initiative. Both individual organizations and coalitions of organizations can join.The detailed criteria for participation can be found in the PDF file below
Criteria for Participation in Japan Climate Initiative (PDF)
- How is the initiative organized?
- The steering committee (consisting of ICLEI Japan, Network of Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs for a Sustainable Business and Energy Future, CDP Worldwide-Japan, Renewable Energy Institute, WWF Japan, Japan Climate Leaders’ Partnership (Japan-CLP) and The Frontier Network), Secretariat (consisting of CDP Worldwide-Japan, Renewable Energy Institute and WWF Japan) and representative (selected by the steering committee) are in charge of management. Please download the outline for further details.
Download: Outline of Japan Climate Initiative (amended on 20 February 2024) - Is there a membership fee or any other requirements?
- No membership fee is required. Financial resources for the operations will be secured by the secretariat for the time being.
The detailed criteria for participation can be found in the PDF file belowCriteria for Participation in Japan Climate Initiative (PDF)
- How can we join the initiative?
- Please fill out and send the application form available on the Japanese website. Currently only those organizations which have basis in Japan can join the initiative.
Takejiro Sueyoshi
Special Advisor to United Nations Environment
Programme Finance Initiative in the Asia Pacific region
Sergio Shigeo Kato
Former Senior Corporate Officer, Ricoh Company, Ltd.
As of July 16, 2024, total: organizations