Climate Change

The 28th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), the 18th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP18), and the 5th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA5), as well as the 59th session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation and the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice, were held in Dubai, UAE from November 30th to December 13th.
Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio participated in the World Climate Action Summit on December 1st and 2nd, and he stressed the critical importance of action by 2030 and the need to achieve net zero by 2050 globally, set economy-wide absolute reduction target covering all greenhouse gases, and peak global greenhouse gas emissions by 2025.
Minister of the Environment ITO Shintaro participated in ministerial meetings which were held in the second week of the conferences, and State Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare　HAMACHI Masakazu and Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry YOSHIDA Nobuhiro participated in related meetings.
In addition, officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the Financial Services Agency, the Forestry Agency, and the Japan Meteorological Agency participated in the conferences.
At COP28, decision on the Global Stocktake, which assesses the world's collective progress toward achieving the objectives of the Paris Agreement; decision on the operationalization of the new funding arrangements, including a fund, for responding to loss and damage, which elaborates on their basic institutional design; as well as decisions on mitigation, adaptation, finance, and just transition, respectively, for each agenda item were adopted.

After two weeks of discussions and negotiations, including the high-level event on December 1-2, the decision on the first Global Stocktake was adopted.
The decision emphasizes the need for urgent action to achieve the 1.5°C goal, peaking global greenhouse gas emissions at the latest before 2025, setting economy-wide emission reduction targets covering all greenhouse gases, and sectoral contributions taking into account different national circumstances, pathways and approaches (e.g., tripling renewable energy capacity globally and doubling the global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements, efforts related to fossil fuels, zero- and low-emission technologies (nuclear, CCUS, low-carbon hydrogen, etc.) and the road sector, etc.). The importance of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement (market mechanisms), engagement of cities, and the transition to sustainable lifestyles were also incorporated in the decision.

On November 30 at the opening plenary of the COP28, Parties adopted the decision to operationalize the new funding arrangements, including a fund, for responding to loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, which were established at COP 27 last year. The decision, including the Governing Instrument of the Fund, elaborates on the basic institutional design of the Fund and the funding arrangements. It is highly unusual that a substantive decision, instead of a procedural matter, was adopted on the opening day of COPs. Following the adoption of the decision, Parties, including Japan, made pledges to contribute to the Fund, mainly for commencing its operationalization (Note 1).
The Fund (the name is to be decided by the Fund's Board) will aim to assist developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, will be hosted by the World Bank, and will be able to receive contributions from a wide variety of sources, including public, private, and innovative sources, while developed countries are invited to take the lead to provide financial resources for commencing the operationalization of the Fund.
Regarding the funding arrangements, it was decided that regular dialogues would be held between the Fund and the institutions comprising the funding arrangements (e.g.: the World Bank, the IMF, the Warsaw International Mechanism, the Santiago Network, etc.), so that both the Fund and those various funding arrangements would coordinate and complement each other to respond to loss and damage.
（Note 1）Japan pledges US$10 million for the resources for commencing the operationalization of the Fund.

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) were selected as the host of the Santiago Network (SN) secretariat to catalyse technical assistance on loss and damage. Consensus was reached on the roles of the UNFCCC Secretariat, the host of the SN secretariat and the Advisory Board. The members of the Advisory Board were selected and the full operationalization of the SN from the next year was decided. The decision expressed appreciation for the contributions to the SN by Japan and other countries.

2023 was the first year for the implementation of“Sharm el-Sheikh mitigation ambition and implementation work programme”decided at COP27, and two global dialogues were held to discuss accelerating just energy transition, including that in transport systems. The decision adopted at COP28 notes these dialogues (including actionable solutions on renewable energy, energy efficiency, CCUS and others.) and discussions at the high-level ministerial round table on pre-2030 ambition. It was also decided to request the Subsidiary Bodies to consider progress at each of their sessions.

As the outcome of two years of discussions under the Glasgow-Sharm el-Sheikh Work Programme on the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), as stipulated in Article 7 of the Paris Agreement, decision on a framework for achieving the GGA was adopted. The Framework, which is country-driven and voluntary, sets seven thematic targets and four targets for the adaptation cycle. It was also decided to set a new agenda for the GGA, launch a two-year work programme to consider indicators for measuring progress achieved towards the targets, and initiate discussions on the realization of the GGA and accelerated implementation of the Framework.

Issues such as long-term climate finance, post-2025 New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG), Standing Committee on Finance (SCF) and the Financial Mechanisms were discussed.
Regarding the NCQG, it was decided to continue the Technical Expert Dialogue (TED) under the Ad Hoc Work Programme, which has been ongoing since 2022, with a view to the adoption of a decision at COP29/CMA6, and in addition, to establish a forum for all Parties and observers to participate in the discussions.
Regarding Article 2.1 (c) of the Paris Agreement (Note 2), developed countries proposed the establishment of a new platform to deepen mutual understanding between developed and developing countries, but both sides did not reach consensus, and it was decided to continue and strengthen the existing Sharm el-Sheikh Dialogue.
（Note2： Making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development.）

It was decided that "the work programme on just transition pathways (JTWP)”, established at COP27, includes elements such as energy, socioeconomics, workforce, and that the JTWP will continue until 2026, at which point Parties review the effectiveness and efficiency of the JTWP and consider its continuation.

Regarding Article 6, Paragraphs 2 and 4 of the Paris Agreement, Parties were unable to reach a consensus on the details of reporting to the UN, etc., and the issue will continue to be discussed.
Regarding Article 6, Paragraph 8 (non-market approaches), Parties decided on the operation of the UNFCCC web-based platform for submitting and recording information on non-market approaches from interested Parties and on the schedule for the work programme. It was also decided that the Secretariat would prepare a technical paper on time frames for the termination of the CDM and the necessary budget and continue to study this issue.

The discussions on the broad agenda items including technology development and transfer, capacity-building, agriculture, research and systematic observation, response measures, gender and climate change and Action for Climate Empowerment were taken place.
The election of members of the Constituted Bodies under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement was also conducted and one Japanese member was elected. It was also decided that the Republic of Azerbaijan will host the COP29, and Brazil will host the COP30.

Minister ITO held 21 bilateral meetings with Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Commission, France, Georgia, Germany, India, Italy, Kazakhstan, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Singapore, Tunisia, UK, Ukraine, US and the UAE. In each meeting, the Minister exchanged views on the proposal for the consensus on negotiation agendas such as the Global Stocktake, and the effective implementation of climate actions.

Japan set up the Japan Pavilion at the COP28 venue where Japanese companies and institutions introduced their measures on mitigation, adaptation, effective CO2 utilization and others through exhibitions, panel displays, online exhibitions, and various seminars.
On December 2, Prime Minister KISHIDA and representatives of both Japanese and UAE companies participated in the "Action to Zero led by Japan and the UAE," where the strong Japan-UAE relationship was confirmed, and where Prime Minister KISHIDA presented the policy to take on the two remaining major challenges: 1) the industry decarbonisation and 2) the decarbonisation in Asia’s growing economies.
Furthermore, Prime Minister KISHIDA stated that Japan will make full use of Japan's financial and technological capabilities, and work with other countries in Asia and the Middle East to achieve decarbonisation and economic growth together while emphasizing “Problem-solving capability as an engine of growth” and “Decarbonisation is also a growth opportunity for Japan”.

The Government of Japan participated in the following international initiatives on climate change at COP28:

• Dec.1: "Emirates Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action" led by the UAE
• Dec.1: "Green Shipping Challenge" led by the US and Norway
• Dec.1: "Action on Water Adaptation and Resilience (AWARe)" led by WMO and former Chair Egypt
• Dec.2: "Global Renewables and Energy Efficiency Pledge" led by the UAE and the EU
• Dec.2: Declaration to "Triple Nuclear", including a cooperation policy toward the ambitious goal of "tripling global nuclear power capacity from 2020 by 2050, recognizing different domestic circumstances of each participant" led by the UAE and the US, among others.
• Dec.2: "Climate Club" led by Germany, to decarbonize industry
• Dec.3: "Declaration on Climate, Relief, Recovery and Peace" led by the UAE
• Dec.3: "Declaration on Climate and Health" led by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UAE
• Dec.4: "Gender-Responsive Just Transitions and Climate Action Partnership" led by the UAE
• Dec.5: "Declaration of Intent on Mutual Recognition of Certification schemes for renewable and low-carbon hydrogen and hydrogen derivatives" led by the UAE, to promote international trade in hydrogen and other products.
• Dec.5: "Statement of Intent on The Green Public Procurement" led by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), aiming to create demand for green materials in hard-to-abate sectors.
• Dec.5: "Carbon Management Challenge" led by the US to accelerate the development and deployment of technologies for carbon dioxide capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) and carbon dioxide removal (CDR).
• Dec.5: "Global Cooling Pledge" led by UNEP and the UAE, to achieve sustainable cooling
• Dec.6: "Buildings Breakthrough" led by France, Morocco and UNEP
• Dec.7: "The 'Sapporo Five' Statement" by Canada, Japan, France, the UK and the US to achieve a resilient supply chain for nuclear fuel.
• Dec.10: "Global River Cities Alliance" led by India.

On December 9, amid the need to achieve rapid and substantial reductions to achieve the 1.5°C target, Japan announced the "Assistance Package to Promote Investments for Global Actions Toward the Achievement of the Paris Agreement Goals". The Package aims to close the three gaps of "ambition gap," "adaptation gap," and "implementation gap" and bring the emission pathway on-track by establishing a foundation to promote investment in decarbonization and adaptation. A seminar inviting involved countries was held at the Japan Pavilion to present relevant policies, such that Japan's policies were widely disseminated both domestically and internationally.